Finals against Argentina, July 29, 2013

This will be a short blog for now just to let everyone know the result of our Gold Medal Game with Argentina. I will write a complete re-cap a little later.

We Won the Gold Medal for the first time in USA Maccabi History! We played a man down for 60 minutes, including the overtime. He was sent off for retaliation and we were leading 2:1 at the 60 minute mark. They scored about 10 minutes later to tie at 2:2. We played 2 15 minute overtimes and then PK's. we won in PK's 4:3 to win the God Medal.

Ok, time to re-cap this unbelievable accomplishment, by an incredible group of players. They were truly a team of Destiny!

Before we went on the field for our pre-game warmup, I told them in the locker room, I wanted to talk to them. What I said had nothing to do with strategy or tactics for the game. I just wanted to tell them how much I loved each of them and what a Privilege and Honor it was to coach them. I also talked to them about going through life and if they were lucky enough to be faced with a situation to conquer and be the very first to succeed in conquering that, it would be historical. They were confronted with that very situation tonight. Two other Maccabi USA teams (1981 & 2005) made it to the finals, only to lose, so we were the third men's open team in the history of the World Maccabiah Games to make the finals. I told them we would make history tonight and I ended by telling them just how proud I was of them and that they would be the proud ones in the end.

So we began the game and in the 5th minute we scored our first goal off a throw in from Ross Friedman to Alec Arsht ho put it in the back of the net for a 1:0 lead. It did not last long as a "phantom" penalty kick was called about 7 minutes later against us and they made the penalty kick to tie the game at 1:1. Needless to say, the officiating was extremely poor and the only calls were made against us. The half ended with the score still 1:1. We made a few slight adjustments in our attack at halftime in order to close space offensively.

The second half began and 6 minutes in at 51 minutes, we scored again. Another long throw from Ross Friedman found Eric Weberman on the far post who finished the goal to give us a 2:1 lead. About 9 minutes later, in the 60th minute, there was a foul on one of our guys and it wasn't called and we retaliated with our player now being shown the Red Card and ejection. We had talked about this before the game to just walk away from their baiting us. We would now have to play a man short for the remaining 30 minutes of regulation. About 5 or 10 minutes after our ejection, they scored he equalizer. Now we had to just hold on and get to overtime and then hopefully, penalty kicks. Hold on we did and even had a great chance to score on a corner kick and had some chances off of it, but we could not get it in the goal. Argentina was a difficult team, not to mention how dirty they were by coming in to us with cleats up into our legs and of course no call. There were so many things that the officials allowed them to do to us without any calls. We had two blatant fouls by them inside the penalty box that should have been called, but were not. One of their players even came off the field and shoved me back while I was in the coaching box to give his player more room for a throw in with the official looking right at him, but nothing was done, as usual. The game would end 2:2, so two 15 minute overtimes would be played.

We started overtime just trying to hang on and get to penalty kicks. Our team battled like I have never seen and we all knew we just needed to get there. Our defense with 10 men was superb and we were bending a little, but never breaking. The game ended 2:2 after 30 minutes of scoreless overtime, so penalty kicks would decide the Gold Medal!
This was the best we could hope for under the circumstances. They went first and missed. Our first also missed. Their second scored as did ours. Their third missed and we made ours to go up 2:1. Their fourth made his as did ours, so it
came down to the fifth kickers. They made theirs to make it 3:3 with our Captain, Scott Rowling ready to put the nail in the coffin. He hammered it home for the win at 4:3 for the good guys in red, white and blue. I would be remiss, if I didn't mention that our other Captain, Daniel Kohen broke his foot in the quarter final game against Germany and could not play in the semi finals or finals, as he was in a cast and crutches. We certainly missed him, but like always, someone else stepped up. He did have a great tournament for us.

In closing, this has been an incredible experience being with all of these guys and seeing how well they took to each other and our way of playing the game we all love. I told them the first day we were all together, that we could win the Gold Medal, if they would cast aside all egos for the good of the team and learn to play simple, like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white bread and a glass of milk. They did just that to perfection! They Achieved the Possible by dreaming the Impossible! WE ARE THE 2013 WORLD MACCABIAH GAMES CHAMPIONS!!! Let's see how Gold tastes...

Just fine!

I guess I should close now, as it is 2:15 am here, but before I do, I must say again, what an Honor and Privilege it has been to coach this team. It was a fitting end to my Maccabi USA career! I want to personally thank my assistant, Warren Russ for being on this journey with me and all the staff, including our great Maccabi Manager, Dan Kurtz, that has been so helpful to both Warren, myself and this team. I also want to thank all our parents who came over and supported all of us with such enthusiasm. And to my family and Goldens, I will be home Thursday. I love and miss you so much.

Take good care,
Coach G from Israel