Orlando City are the Champions! PART 2

Like promised I have more "photos" from the game.  Like I said in my previous post (CLICK HERE FOR PREVIOUS POST AND PANORAMIC PHOTO) I was in the stands for this game rather than down on the field so I didn't bring a telephoto.

What a game it was.  Enjoy the photos and an extra bonus, a 720p video!

Toon Army goes down in "Toon Town"

I couldn't wait for this game to start!  As I was down on the plastic pitch my Wife, my Brother, his Girlfriend, my Bro-In-Law, my Mom, and my Dad were all at Will Call getting ready to bring my son into the Football world for the first time!

I was again on assignment to get photos of local stars Dennis Chin (Oviedo) and Matt Luzanaris ( played 1 year at UCF and is from Florida himself).  With 25 mins to game time, Newcastle beings warming up on the turf of which they refused to play on at first.

Gutierrez, Ameobi, and Alan Smith among others getting ready.

The fans were ready to go!  Welcome to America Newcastle, we're not pushovers here anymore!

Gotta give a shout out to Los Guerrilloz & O-Town Hooligans, I missed you guys last game so I made sure to get ya this time!

Great turnouts by both sides.  Plenty of support from the Toon Army as well as the multiple Orlando City supporters groups!  A new attendance record of  10,889, it was a great atmosphere in an otherwise huge staduim!

Coaches take the pitch.....it's game time!

The game began with good action from both sides, and each got good chances on goal.

Luzunaris of OC getting up!

A great shot by Max and an equally talented save by the goalkeeper!

Dennis Chin taking control of the ball and backing down Jose Enrique

Post goal celebration!  Lots of love for both the assist and the goal, Chin couldn't have made it easier!  Dennis got a good run on a ball and put himself in position for a simple pass across the mouth of the goal and an easy shot by Molino.

Late substitution by Newcastle brings in ex-West Ham striker and new addition to Newcastle, Demba Ba.

My Son up in the stands seeing his first live football match! 
I made him a Newcastle shirt because I was wearing my Orlando City Shirt....by really im a Fulhamerican (Fulham FC supporter in America).  My beautiful wife Leigh on the Left and my Mum on the Right.

My Bro and his girlfriend Kimberly, and my son and I on the pitch after the game!

I already have him passing a soccer ball back and forth with me, it's only a matter of time before this footballer is either leading the defense as a goalscoring-sweeper like his old man, controlling the midfield like his uncles, or putting them into the back of the net as a striker!

EXTRA! EXTRA! Our photos have been published.....

CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE STORY!!! 

...well, it's a community newspaper, but it's a start!  I've always wanted to get into Sports photography, and playing soccer my entire childhood and through highschool was certainly a great first assignment!

Lined up for national anthems before kickoff.  Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League came to the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando to face the Orlando City Lions in a summer exhibition.

Kevin Davies of BW and Matt Luzunaris of OC, two eventual goal scorers, warm up before the match

 

Great shots came from both sides, and in the 18th minute Davies put one home off his head (seen in bottom photo above)

It was great to be down on the field with the guys you see playing every weekend in the EPL, on the left is Zat Knight, the tallest player in the league measuring roughly 6' 6"

Some more great action, the bottom photo showing the scramble to remove the ball from the box after a corner kick which in the end was futile as it ended in the back of the net for Bolton's 2nd goal. 

 

It's called the beautiful game for many reasons, the strategy, the sportsmanship, and the whole ambiance surrounding the pitch!

 Boden concentrates all the way from ball to boot.  Chung-Yong Lee (right), a South Korean, had a great following in the crowd.

 Wanderers' Petrov, shown left, would score the 3rd and final goal for Bolton.

Matt Luzunaris, the sole Orlando City goal scorer is on loan from San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) and attended one year at the University of Central Florida (my alma mater) before beginning his pro career playing for multiple European clubs.

Stuart Holden (Right) plays for Bolton but also the U.S. Men's National Team!  He is currently nursing a leg injury and did not play in the recent Gold Cup nor this night.  He was a really good guy and came out after the game was over for photos and autographs.

A great showing by the support groups of the RUCKUS (left) and the IRON LION FIRM (right).   Drums, smoke machines, flying streamers, and plenty of verbal abuse poured out onto the pitch from both groups!

It was definitely a once in a lifetime chance to be down on the pitch! 

I will be back taking photos when the Orlando City Lions take on Newcastle United this Saturday, see y'all at the game, I will have more photos of that game to come!