The team responded so, so well to the loss at Richmond from this past weekend. Despite the circumstances that understandably shook the team that game, we reacted well to come out with the win on Wednesday. And thankfully there is good news for Alex Touche as well, with it not being as bad as it very much seemed that night. So let’s dive in!
Post-Reduction Power
We did receive our third red card of the season this game, with Emir being sent off just inside the second half. That sets a new record for us with most red cards in a season, as we earned just two in each prior season. It really does seem that there are more reds this year in general, but that may just be anecdotal or skewed by playing more games.
The other interesting note is that with so few red cards, we had only played down a man 73 minutes this season (141 minutes ever) prior to this game. We adapted very well though, not holding holding a clean sheet but also scoring too! In fact, this is the first time in the regular season that we have scored while down a player when the other team also isn’t down a player as well. We have scored one other time down a player, in the last moments of the League One Final last year. But that also reveals another trend, in that we tend to hold on to games when we do go down to ten. Only Chattanooga at home last year did we drop points we otherwise wouldn’t have while being at ten. With that said though, this was then also the first time ever we’ve gained points we otherwise wouldn’t have while playing with one less. So while I hope we don’t have to do it again (my nerves could barely take this one), it does give some hope that we can come together when it happens and still do well in spite of the situation.
Balancing the Equation
That win also did something else outside the immediate spectrum as well: it brought us even in the all-time series with Madison at 2 wins, 5 draws, and 2 losses.
That means we have winning records against 4 teams (Fuego, NCFC, Tormenta, and Tucson), tied against 4 teams (Charlotte, Madison, Greenville, and Hailstorm*), and losing against 2 teams (Chatt and Richmond). Richmond had been even before last weekend and there is still a chance to even it back up this season. And Chatt… is our next opponent. So there is a possibility we could even up both Chatt and Madison in the same week. It would require a win against a surging side at the end of another tough 3-game stretch, but it’s possible.
(*Of course, depends if you count the win in the cup against Hailstorm. I really would like to not have to keep footnoting this, so hopefully we beat Hailstorm the last time this season so I don’t have to keep doing so.)
A Unified Bond
The last piece I wanted to shout out here was just how awesome it was to see the Unified game later Wednesday night. Ideally the timing is better so that more people would be able to stay, but I understand the league didn’t help things by making 2 of our 3 games on Wednesday nights. I really hope we can continue to make it happen, with Madison and hopefully with other teams in the league as well. I don’t have a stat sheet to reference, but I will say that 6-2 against Madison over two legs is incredible. The first team’s goal breakdown is 8-8 over 9 games, which that smashes comfortably. It was a great showing on both sides, the skill was truly so, so good. (I have to give props to Madison’s second goal, it was really great. Our third was close though.) Definitely a great time and I know a lot of people there were also asking for it to become a regular thing, so let’s make that happen!
Who Gives A Hoot? 