On Friday afternoon in sunny Cowansville, the Massey-Vanier Vikings started the game on the front foot, 追逐每一个空球，让斯巴达人在我方半场承受巨大压力. 比赛开始五分钟，他们的努力得到了回报，他们狡猾的中锋拦截了斯巴达人的一次错误回传，并冷静地将球从无助的斯巴达门将伊曼纽尔·甘茨身边射过. 维京队1比0领先.

This setback would provide a good test for our squad; would we dig in and respond positively or would we drop our heads and allow MVR to dictate the quality and pace of the game? 值得赞扬的是, 我们选择了前一种方法, 很快调整了我们的心态，不久之后我们开始融入游戏并改变游戏流程. 我们开始赢得50/50的球，赢得1对1的比赛，并开始将更多的传球串联在一起. These good moments produced excellent scoring chances by Matteo Paradis, 亨利·里德尔, 约旦Ilunga, and two attempts by Jeremiah O’Reagan, 头球击中目标, and the second a solid shot that smacked the crossbar. While the statistical package favoured the Spartans – out-chancing MVR 14 to 7, 4个角球，比分为0，并且在进攻的三分之一区表现得更有领土意识——维京人在最重要的方面占据了优势, 比分是1-0.

After a positive halftime team talk, 斯坦斯特德以更大的决心打开了下半场，以保持更好的控球权. 这使得在维京后防线后面的传球更加准确，这使得我们的前锋能够创造更多有威胁的得分机会. 在场外, 替补队员和教练组开始觉得，我们突破维京人坚韧不拔的防守并得分只是时间问题. Ah, but soccer can be a cruel game at times and this would be such a moment. At the 57-minute mark and totally against the run of play, 斯坦斯特德丢了一个有问题的点球，MVR前锋信心十足地罚出了这个点球. Now, down 2-0 with 23 minutes to play, our Spartans were really put to the test. It was a truly defining moment in time for our team… in game one of the season! How would we respond to what looked like a mountain to climb?

In what has quickly become a wonderful set of trademark characteristics of this team, 我们继续挖掘, 每个球都有挑战, play our system and display great resiliency, as we were determined to give it our all until the final whistle. So, 集体深吸一口气，环视场地，检查每个队友的情况, 好像在说"我们在这里没事", we kicked off from centre and took our team play up a level. 最后, 比赛还剩16分钟, 亨利·里德尔 received a well-played pass from midfielder Gabriel De Santis, 在18码的禁区顶部转身，一脚高射射入维京队的球门，将比分缩小到2-1. 随后的进球庆祝和把球带回中场的冲刺表明我们渴望再次做这种得分的事情, ,很快! 海盗队开球后, 斯巴达人蜂拥而至MVR的防守，以无情的热情和承诺压迫每一个球员和每一个球. We had well and truly turned up our intensity and level of play. This massive team effort forced several turnovers deep in Viking territory and, unquestionably gave the impression there was more in the offing for the visiting team.

得分后不到两分钟，MVR就在本方18码禁区外犯规. Up stepped senior Mauricio “Swiss Army Knife” Lopez, 是谁在门柱下方一记火箭式的射门打进了球网，将比分锁定在2-2.

斯巴达人, convinced they could steal the win, 他们施加了更大的压力，里德尔获得了更多高质量的得分机会, 德桑蒂斯和伊伦加. 在比赛的最后一刻, 斯巴达队几乎赢得了比赛，因为在12码内的一个聪明的动作，我们的射门击中了门柱底部，从球门线旋转到错误的方向. 最终比分:2-2. All in all, it was a very strong performance by our boys in red on the day. 我们明白，我们丢的球大多是简单的错误，我们可以很快纠正，如果我们在对方的球门前更加无情, we will be tough to beat this season.

其他积极的收获……

下一场比赛是周一主场迎战毕晓普学院, September 18 at 4:15pm on Philip Field. 在那之前, 我们的斯巴达有4支球队, 1-day Stanstead Invitational Tournament on Saturday, 9月16日^th. 详情如下.