While the team trains and prepares to take care of the Portland Timbers on the field, Mother Nature is doing her part to make sure the Black-and-Red are ready to play on rainy turf while on the West Coast. Due to the mass amounts of rain in the last 24 hours, the team moved its session to the turf fields at Long Bridge Park in Arlington, Va., to get in its second-to-last session before boarding the plane to Oregon.
After its usual 5 vs 2 one-touch warm up and stretching, the squad broke in to two groups. On the far side of the field, players on the outside of the circle had a ball, while players inside had to check to a man, receive a pass, turn and dribble out in the opposite direction. On the near side, two groups were broken in to squares, one doing two-touch passing while the other did the same with one-touch.
The team then split up in to three teams, two offensive units and one defensive unit. Starting at midfield, the offensive group attacked the goal, while the outnumbered defensive unit tried to gain control and clear it back to midfield. Both offensive groups rotated in and out while switching keepers between sessions.
To finish up, the team played full field 11 vs. 11 to goal. While playing, what started as a light drizzle turned in to a full fledged downpour. Players and coaches were quick to find their way back to the vans, except the goalies, who took some extra shots on goal from goalkeeper coach Preston Burpo. The team will train tomorrow in D.C. before taking off for Portland as it looks to extend its unbeaten streak to six games.
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<p class="affiliate">Training Notes presented by <a class="red" href="http://www.theorthocentermd.com/">Orthopaedic Center</a>.</p> |
