United Featured on FSC?!?!?

Jeremy St. Louis proclaims his loyalty

Winnipeg, Manitoba – Malibu United Soccer Club was name-checked on the August 10th edition of North America's premier soccer news program, the Fox Soccer Report.

Thuesday night anchor, Jeremy St. Louis, held up an MUSC t-shirt while extolling the virtues of its Canadian born manager, David Simpson.

Enjoy!!





story by kef

Passing Grade

Bosses satisfied with mid-table result on first season in new league

Santa Monica, CA – Malibu United end their inaugural season in the Manchester Division of the Santa Monica Adult Soccer League on Sunday with a 2-0 win over Dinosaurs of Reggae.

On the previous weekend, the boys had logged a solid performance despite a 2-1 loss against the league leaders, Hollywood Allstars FC, and they were looking for a decisive victory in this match to finish off their campaign on a high note.

United began the pressure early when newcomer Justin “JJ” Saul broke free at the top on four minutes, but the resulting shot overtook the wrong side of the goal post.

They wouldn’t have to wait long for a repeat chance, however, when only one minute later Midfielder Henry Meller worked a nifty give-and-go with forward Dave Keffer near the top of the Dinosaur’s penalty area. Keffer’s return pass split the legs of the final defender as Meller ran through and calmly touched the ball past the keeper with the outside of his right boot to finally open his scoring account for the team.

On fifteen minutes, Meller would get another chance when the official awarded United with a free kick in a dangerous spot twenty-five yards from goal. JJ Saul stepped up to take it, and struck a bullet that beat the goalkeeper but was denied by the crossbar. Then, Meller jumped in to pounce on the rebound, but his header sailed over the bar to keep the score at 1-0.

United would convert again, though, at thirty-one minutes after Xadier Gonzalez chased a ball into the right corner. Gonzalez delivered a high, looping cross toward the back post that striker Gabe Bonetti nicked of the back of one of the Dinosaur defenders before powering it past the goalkeeper and into the twine.

In the second half, United continued to pressure. Goalkeeper Ted Spilseth handed the gloves over to Ryan Silverman in order to take a run up top, and the change almost paid dividends on seventy minutes when Spilseth found himself with a heartbeat of space in the Dinosaur penalty area. His shot rolled wide of the mark, though, leaving his season tally at one goal and four clean sheets.

The Dinosaurs were able to pull one back before the end of the match on a nice flick from the right side that was re-directed past Silverman, but that would be all they could muster, and the game ended at 2-1.

The final season stats give the Golden Boot to striker Byron Paidoussi with ten goals in all competitions and seven in league play. Prodigal striker Ben Corrodi ties the league match tally with seven of his own, followed by newcomer Valentine Crisan with four, and veteran Dave Keffer with three. Keffer also leads the assists tally with seven total, followed by Paidoussi and team captain Ignacio Rodriguez with five assists each.

The days result leaves United sixth in a table of twelve teams, a position with which manager David Simpson seemed satisfied, “This league is a definite step up in quality from our previous league, and I think we represented well for the most part. We even gave the top four a run for their money on occasion.”

Looking toward next season, co-manager James Whalen added, “It’s a great position to build on. We’ll take a few tournaments and friendlies in the off-season, and we’ll be back stronger than ever next year.”


story by kef
photos by heidi

Gump Holds Strong

Bubba Gump delivers a solid performance to best United in weekend romp

Santa Monica, CA – After holding fourth place Old Boys to a nil-nil tie last weekend, Malibu United were excited about their chances on Sunday against Bubba Gump. United had beaten the lower ranked team twice previously this season, and their recent form had been improving.

Unfortunately, Bubba didn’t get the memo. The opponents started the scoring after only three minutes when defender Robert Silverman got turned around in the penalty area. The Gump striker was able to get a shot off that beat goalkeeper Ted Spilseth in the upper left corner.

United would draw level a short time later when striker Byron Paidoussi created some space down the left sideline. He drove into the corner and delivered a cross into the six-yard box that caromed off a defender and into the path of Dave Keffer. Keffer sidestepped his mark with a quick touch and then pounded the ball between the post and the keeper.

Bubba Gump again pulled ahead on twenty-seven minutes when a high cross was pinched out of the grasp of Spilseth by the head of one of the Gump strikers. The 2-1 score would carry into the half time break.

After the restart, Bubba Gump would nick another on a quick counter attack that ended in a pile up on the goal line and the ball in the back of the net.

United kept pressing forward, and almost pulled one back when winger Johan Galvan received a nice through-ball from midfielder Robert “Tubbs” Pike, who is back in the starting eleven after a recent knee injury. Galvan struck the ball well and would have been celebrating if not for a dramatic fingertip-save from the Gump goalkeeper.

A few minutes later, however, the goalkeeper wouldn’t be so lucky when veteran United midfielder Matt Kawczynski received a pass from Pike just inside the Gump half of the field. Kawczynski took a few steps forward and then drove a scorching thirty-five yard shot toward goal. The ball dipped just under the crossbar to give United some hope with only ten minutes remaining.

Manager David Simpson threw everything forward as United tried to level the scoreline. Unfortunately, in the final minute of play Bubba Gump broke free on the counter-attack, and with few United players covering the back, made quick and easy work of the forth and final goal.

The result leaves United solidly at the middle of the table as they prepare to face third place Sports Harbour next weekend.


story by kef
photos by heidi

“Legends Never Die ... they just fade away.”

United salutes a passing hero

Malibu, CA – In May of this year, United midfielder Lord Michael Ridley announced that he would be leaving Malibu United, and indeed Los Angeles, at the end of July. It is an unexpected move but the unexpected should come as no surprise when it comes to Lord Ridley.

Ridley’s antics are legendary. No one has ever quite been able to explain why he jumped off a traffic light after the Red Sox won the World Series. Who can forget the day an injured Byron Bru looked to the sideline for a substitution, only to find a hung-over Ridley sitting on his wasted arse, giving Bru the thumbs up, telling him that he was fine to continue.

Lord Ridley was bought in several season ago by manager James Whalen due to his international experience and star quality. A gifted two-footed player with quick feet, he has been a continued fan favorite. He routinely sells more jerseys than Beckham, and one season he single-handedly inspired the crowd to believe that the Champions League was a real possibility.

During Ridley’s career, Malibu United’s fortunes have risen and fallen with his thunderous long-range bullets. In fact, while United never made it to Europe, some of Lord Ridley’s long-range efforts certainly have. “I think it would be fair to say,” mused veteran striker Dave Keffer, “that behind every goalie in our league is a long-range effort from Lord Ridley! Luckily, many of his other attempts have rippled the back of the net."

When asked what it is that United will miss most when Ridley hangs up his boots, midfielder Henry Meller reflected, “It will be the absence of his pearls of wisdom at half time that we’ll really feel. One match, we were up 3-0, and a deadpan Ridley made certain to remind each and every player on the team that if the opposition were to score three goals ... they would be right back in it.”

There have been moments of madness, flashes of genius, smiles, and yes, even tears throughout this young man's career with the club. And, in true Ridley fashion, he has made every player, every coach, every supporter a part of it. Each and every one of us was taken on this amazing journey, on and off the pitch. A journey which will no doubt be turned into a trilogy of novels and movies (Teammate Vincent Williamson is rumored to have optioned the rights).

However, when the legend of Lord Ridley begins to fade after the talented midfielder exits the pitch for the final time on July the twelfth, there will be one lasting image that will forever remain in the memory of those who cheered his name these many seasons. That is the image of the loose fitting strap of his trademark pink shin guards gently flapping in the wind.

“This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

-Lord Michael Ridley - Midfielder - Malibu United #14


story by m. ridley
photo by heidi

MaliBru United!

Striker Byron “Bru” Paidoussi returns from suspension to lead United to their third victory in as many weeks

Santa Monica, CA – Spirits were high at the start of Sunday’s midday match. Most of the squad had seen or heard the results of the first half of the Confederations Cup Final where the US Men’s National Team were leading Brazil by two goals. Luckily, today’s kickoff was scheduled to occur before any further news could come out of South Africa.

United had their full roster available as they faced VCA Rebels, newcomers to the Manchester League. The Rebels would begin the match down a player and never quite recover from that deficit.

United dominated from the start. Keeping with their recent form, the passing was crisp, and their ability to maintain possession was apparent from the onset.

Young strikers Ben Corrodi and Valentin Crisan create some early chances for themselves, but it was veteran midfielder Lord Micheal Ridley, playing in his penultimate match for the club, who would start the scoring early in the first half, after the Rebels failed to clear a United attack into the right corner. Midfielder Ignacio Rodriguez was able to get a toe on the clearance and redirect the ball into the path of Ridley at the top of the penalty area. Ridley volleyed past the keeper with his usual aplomb causing the netting to billow and the supporters to erupt in cheers.

The next goal would come only a short time later when Rodriguez again delivered the ball through the middle, this time to striker Byron Paidoussi who was in traffic within the Rebel’s penalty area. Paidoussi had just enough time to pivot and touch the ball with his left foot past the rushing goalkeeper. The ball gently rolled into the far corner to give United the two goal advantage and lift Paidoussi out of his recent scoring slump.

Only ten minutes on, Paidoussi would strike again, and the assist would again come from Rodriguez out of the middle, this time toward the left side of the penalty area. Paidoussi collected, and chipped the goalkeeper with a right footed strike into the top of the onion bag. The half would end with United in a comfortable 3-0 lead.

After the break, United began to loosen up a bit. Spirits were still high, and there was a good deal of laughing and ribbing coming from the sideline. The pinnacle of which came when forward Ryan Silverman was part of a play that earned United a penalty kick. One of the Rebel defenders knocked the ball down with an outstretched hand, and the official had no choice but to point to the spot. Young Romanian striker Valentin Crisan confidently stepped up to claim the kick, but when cheers of “Ryan! Ryan!” came from the sideline, Crisan graciously stepped aside to give young Silverman his chance to shine. Unfortunately, Silverman’s strike was blocked by the keeper's trailing legs, and when he rushed in to pounce on the rebound, he toe-poked the ball wide of the gaping goal that loomed in his path. Applause still sounded from the stands, however, because in the eyes of the United faithful, Silverman can do no wrong.

The Rebels would get one back in the midway point of the second half after goalkeeper Ted Spilseth covered a dangerous back pass from midfielder Henry Meller. Despite some confusion about the letter of the law, the official called for an indirect free kick inside the United penalty area. After a brief huddle to discuss their strategy, the Rebels came out with a dizzying cavalcade of step-overs that froze the United back line before their last man passed the ball toward the far post. A few bobbling touches later, and the ball found its way between the legs of the last United defender and into the net. The Rebels cheered at their creativity, as did many of the United players, some of whom were still spinning from the display.

The game then began to disintegrate a bit, as United started to lose a little bit of focus, but all it took was a stunning cross from defender Matt Kawczynski that curled with tempo into the six yard box to turn the momentum back their way. Kawczynski’s ball looked at first to be a dangerous shot, but the outward spin instead turned it directly onto the head of striker Byron Paidoussi who was waiting at the far post. Paidoussi redirected it cleanly into the net to secure the natural, three-appendage hat trick, and to put the match out of reach for the Rebels.

After the full time whistle, the United boys congratulated each other for another game well played. Team confidence is high going into next week’s Holiday break, but the boys will be needing everything they can muster when they return in two weeks to face second place Sunset FC.




story by kef

English Lessons

United build on last week’s success with a dominant 2-0 performance against Frogs Soccer

Santa Monica, CA – The mid-afternoon match on Sunday would provide an important three points for Malibu United as they faced off against the French Internationals of Frogs Soccer. The boys started strong and hardly wavered for the full ninety minutes in what many supporters are calling their best performance to date.

The scoring was initiated once again by young Valentin Crisan when defender Vince Williamson took a long throw from the left sideline. The ball found the diagonal run of forward Dave Keffer who was entering the box from the right. Keffer controlled it into the path of Crisan who pushed the ball to the end line, drawing the goalkeeper toward him. At the last second, Crisan toe-poked past the keeper at an impossibly acute angle, and the shot rolled right along the goal line and just inside the far post to give United the early lead.

Malibu maintained the lions share of possession for the remainder of the first half with a display of controlled passing that had most of the supporters on their feet. The boys were working the ball left to right in the back, and with midfielders Michael Ridley and Henry Meller commanding the center of the field, United rarely turned the ball over to their opponents.

After the half-time break, it was more of the same, and United would soon extend their lead. In the fifty-fifth minute, midfielder Ignacio Rodriguez was awarded a free kick only twenty-five yards from the Frogs goal. After a few hand signals to his team mates, Rodriguez stepped up and delivered a curling cross that dropped right into the path of forward Dave Keffer. Keffer put his head to the ball and redirected it into the back of the twine to give United the two goal lead.

That lead would stand for the remainder of the match as United maintained their dominance for the duration.

The result puts them back into the upper half of the table, and with next week’s match scheduled against another lower level side, United will be expected to continue their good form and build on their recent success.



story by kef
photos by heidi

Valentin's Day

Romanian import finally makes good on his over-inflated transfer fee with hat trick in 7-1 rout on Sunday

Santa Monica, CA – After several weeks of disappointing results, Malibu United took the opportunity to put on a scoring clinic in the late match on Sunday against the most recent addition to the league, Dinosaurs of Reggae.

The Dinosaurs were added to the league to replace the disbanded Pacman FC who were forced to surrender their campaign after losing their main sponsor.

Despite their record, United’s recent form on the pitch had been consistently improving, and against this freshman side, their dominance was immediately evident. After only five minutes, striker Ben Corrodi, returning from a recent back injury, received a pass from newcomer Devon Myers and worked some of his dribbling mojo to create space for a well placed shot at the top of the eighteen. The Dinosaur’s goalkeeper had no chance as the ball found the lower-left corner to start the scoring.

Then in the eleventh, midfielder Johan Galvan outran his defender and slotted a perfect through-ball into the path of rookie striker Valentin Crisan. The Romanian wonderkind kept his cool and placed the ball into the lower right side of the net to mark his first goal for United after his much-lauded transfer from the Steaua Bucharest youth development program.

Ten minutes later, United had another great chance when midfielder Henry Meller headed the ball over the last defender toward Ben Corrodi who had only the goalkeeper to beat. Corrodi sidestepped the keepers challenge, but his shot was dramatically deflected off the line by the head of one of the Dinosaur’s defenders to keep the score at 2-0.

The drama continued in the Dinosaur’s penalty box when Corrodi got called for a studs-up challenge. The collision caused the defender to walk angrily off the field and straight into the bar across the street to order himself a pint and a bag of ice.

In the thirtieth, it was United who reaped the benefits of a foul called at about twenty-five yards out. Young Valentin Crisan stepped up with confidence to claim the free kick and delivered a precision strike that curled over the wall and into the upper left corner of the net. The Dinosaur goalkeeper made a valiant effort to block the shot, but had no chance as Crisan extended United's lead.

The Malibu boys would claim one more before halftime when midfielder Henry Meller found veteran forward Dave Keffer at the top of the Dinosaur’s penalty area. Keffer tapped the ball through to Ben Corrodi who was approaching on the outside. Corrodi struck the ball well, but the keeper parried it away. Keffer pounced on the rebound, however, and half-volleyed into the far side of the onion bag to carry United into the break at 4-0.

With the comfortable lead, manager David Simpson shuffled some players around. Goalkeeper Ted Spilseth gave the gloves to defender Chris De La Riva and joined Gerry Smith up top to get some offensive minutes.

De La Riva was forced to make a dramatic “save” in the first minute of the second half when he slid in to collect a free ball in the area. With no attackers in sight, though, most of the supporters familiar with Riva’s style simply chuckled at the dynamic photo-op.

Spilseth nearly had a quick effect up top when he sent midfielder Devon Myers free on goal with a nice pass. Myers finished the try with ease, but the goal was called back when the linesman signaled for offside.

Gerry Smith then had a golden opportunity on fifty-two minutes when he settled a ball in the Dinosaur penalty area. His first try put the goalkeeper on the ground as the ball came back to his feet. Then his second try was stopped again, but somehow Smith was given a third bite of the apple. Unfortunately, though, the Dinosaur’s keeper was was able to control the final attempt and shut down the sizable striker.

United continued to press forward, and in the sixty-third minute, forward Dave Keffer received a ball just inside the Dinosaur’s half. He turned around his defender, and pushed a pass into the run of midfielder Devon Myers. Myers did well to collect the ball in traffic, sidestepped the last defender, and chipped the goalkeeper like a seasoned professional. This time the goal would stand, and Myers did a little dance to celebrate his first for the club.

Only three minutes later, things got a little heated when Byron Paidoussi was taken down just outside the box. Paidoussi, whose fiery temper has gotten him in trouble before, simmered in response. He was able to calm himself, though, for the resulting free kick, and he delivered a seething worm-burner into the pack where United goalkeeper Ted Spilseth, now playing in the front line, put one foot on the shot to redirect it into the lower right corner.

United were up 6-0, but the skies would darken a bit a few minutes later when Paidoussi finally came to a boil and retaliated against a knock he took in the Dinosaur penalty area. The referee instantly pulled out the yellow card, but that wasn’t enough for Paidoussi who continued to verbally challenge the defender. The official reached into his other pocket and sent Paidoussi packing.

Spilseth then had another chance to effect the scoreline when he found himself with time at the top of the eighteen. His strike was headed for the lower right corner, but the Dinosaur goalkeeper made a dramatic save to deny his counterpart.

Then in the seventy-fifth minute, it was again Valentin Crisan’s time to shine. After a well placed ball from forward Dave Keffer put him free on goal, Crisan powered a low, left-footed shot past the goalkeeper to make the score 7-0 and secure the hat-trick and the Man-of-the-Match award, and to provide a decent argument for making June 14th Valentin's day.

The Dinosaurs were able to pull one back a few minutes later to regain some dignity, and United would get a few more chances before the full time whistle, but with the 7-1 final score, United were happy to take three points on the day.


story by kef
photos by heidi