Congratulations…a remarkable season!  14-2-0 (W-D-L)

Red Star achieved the 1st and only undefeated season in Dinamo Club history, bagging 1st place in the regular season and 1st place in the playoffs along the way.  The latter is also a Dinamo Club first!  We have certainly improved in just a couple of seasons.  Speed, skill, mental and physical toughness…the characteristics and heart of Red Star.

All season long we won big, we won small, won pretty and won ugly, we just found a way to win.  We dominated play, running up the score on some teams and yet also came from behind after slow starts against other teams.

Both experiences proved our will and maturity as a team.

The Final was a culmination of the work we put in all season long.  A well earned victory against the number 2 team in the league.  The play was quick and the challenges were fierce.  For the greater part of the match we looked the team likely to score as we controlled the ball and tempo.  Sure enough, Matty streaked in from the right wing to bag the opening goal off a poor clearance (or deflection), 1-0.

Mike and the back line were solid as we dominated possession in the middle and hassled their back line with speed and hustle up top.  I don’t remember who was brought down in the box, but Tyler stepped up to take the penalty and coolly netted the second goal, 2-0.

If memory serves, play digressed a bit and became more physical as the momentum began to shift in a seesaw battle.  Familar were not going to go down without a fight and the messy style of play suited their aggression.  The had chances, but the saves were made and defense from top to bottom covered and recovered when tested.  Due to tired legs and cards, players were shuffled around a bit and wound up in other positions, but similar experiences earlier in the season proved vital as we adjusted and kept our heads in it.

Familar did manage to put one in during the final minutes of play to add a heightened excitement to the finish, but we truly showed ourselves to be the Champions through and through.

The Magical 22:

Mike Chen, Kareem Orio, Tony Presedo, Adrian Ramirez, Carr Schilling, Javier Silva, Sebas Choularton, Sean Pratt, Nick Browne, Zafar Jadwet, Matty Hoffman, Wendell John, Leo Urquiza, Kenny Zepeda, Tyler Rutkin, Jason Galloway, Nick Espiritu, Justin Raisen, Puneet Layal, Alex Guadalupe, Billy Campos, Valetin Crisan.

Well done lads.  You all contributed this season.  Whether it was one game or many, we are a team and played that way.

To say it like it is…we dominated that way!  Add our stint in the UFL and that makes (2) Cup Champion Trophies and (1) Regular Season Champion Trophy in 2009.  Keep it up.

The next season starts January 10th!