It was a week of huge comebacks and collapses in Baton Rouge. The Rangers kept on winning at home remaining undefeated for the season in Foley. The Pool Boys seem to have figured everything out, and the Eastern Conference playoff picture is a jumbled mess after Mobile put on a late game goal scoring show to toss everything you thought you knew out the window.
EASTERN RECAP
Pensacola FC’s troubles seem to be continuing. Marked as the favorite coming into the year, Pensacola has now only won 1 of their last 4 matches. Taking a seemingly dominant 3-0 lead early in the second half on goals from Gavin Gillies, Kameron Bethel, and Barret Mills, Pensacola seemed to be cruising. Erik Aispuro struck first for AFC Mobile, and later had the assist on Chisom Ogbonna’s game winner, and the Azaleas would go on to score 4 straight goals including an explosive 3 goals in the 85th, 86th, and 87th minutes to pull out all stops and knock Pensacola off their top of the table perch.
Meanwhile, just a few miles away in Foley, Alabama, Yan Livenu put on a clinic with 4 goals and 1 assist as the Rangers stayed perfect at home with a dominating 6-2 win over Port City FC. Livenu has a first half hat trick and tacked on another in the second plus an assist on the first of two Moses Muhubao goals as the Rangers have not lost in 3 matches.
CENTRAL RECAP
In what some would view as the shocking result of the season, Motagua of New Orleans has taken the first blemish of the season with a 0-0 draw against a fiery Mississippi Blues side. But it was not just the scoreless draw that had eyes on New Orleans. Motagua keepers Donaldo Morales had 10 saves essentially keeping Motagua alone at the top of the Central Conference as the Blues would not back down from the three-time league champions.
In a midweek showdown, Danni Eyo had a huge performance leading Baton Rouge United with a hat trick. Trailing 3-1 to Northshore United at home, Baton Rouge rode on Eyo’s shoulders in a blistering second half performance to pull off a 4-3 victory.
Gaffa FC, on the other hand, looked to gain ground on the conference leaders from New Orleans and demolished Shreveport United 8-0. Carl “Sheps” Shepard was a rock in the midfield for the Jackson side. In addition to scoring a goal of his own, Sheps was able to bring up the level of play in not just the midfield, but the entire Gaffa side.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Quesi Weston is a name people following the GCPL should be familiar with. Weston put in another performance for BOCA scoring 2 goals in a 3-1 win over Cajun SC. These goals put Weston on 7 for the season and in the mix for an extremely tight Golden Boot race.
Lastly, it looks like Alexandria Pool Boys FC early season troubles are being shaken off as they were able to travel to Texas and come away with a 4-1 win over the Central Texas Lobos. Nicolas Mboungou led the Pool Boys with a goal and two assists in an end-to-end performance that was never in question.
GCPL TEAM OF THE WEEK
Erik Aispuro (AFC Mobile)
Danni Eyo (Baton Rouge United)
George Green (Baton Rouge United)
Ezra Hebert (Cajun Soccer Club)
Clairy Kengeye (AFC Mobile)
Yan Livenu (Gulf Coast Rangers)
Donaldo Morales (Motagua of New Orleans)
Nicolas Mboungou (Alexandria Pool Boys FC)
Oscar Ramirez (Central Texas Lobos)
Carl Shepard (Gaffa FC)
Quesi Weston (BOCA FC Knights)
