Southern Soccer Academy Kings - South Georgia Tormenta 2 (06-07-2021)

The Southern Soccer Academy Kings are a soccer academy with men and women “professional” teams. The men’s team plays in the Deep South Division of the Southern Conference of the USL League Two (i.e. Fifth Division). They play their stadium at Marathon Soccer Park, which is just outside of Marietta, Georgia, a rich northern suburb of Atlanta. In fact, it is truly off the beaten track, as it has an own driveway of almost a mile off an already remote street. SSA Kings are aligned with Chelsea FC, as can be seen from the logo.

 

JW and I arrive about fifteen minutes before kick-off. There are quite some cars in the parking lot, many fancy ones at that. We don’t have to pay to get in and make our way to the one side of bleachers. As far as one can speak of a “stadium”, it is one main building with dressing rooms and some other rooms.

 

Given that this is a soccer academy, where people (kids) pay to play soccer, the pitch is of an incredibly bad quality. In fact, it is so bent that you can’t see the lines on the other side. The grass is also of poor quality. There are some 100 people, about one third kids who play at the academy and their parents. For Marietta, the crowd is quite Southern but also quite mixed racially. A few fans in their twenties make a lot of noise, both cracking jokes and cheering on the home team, which hives the game an overall cozy atmosphere.

 

The game starts well. Interestingly, the referee is a rather young woman, who is well in control (I can only imagine the abuse she must face from players and fans in many games). In the 3^rd minute the visitors have a good attack that is easily finished in the long corner: 1-0. Although the guests are much better, they make a dumb foul and the hosts get a penalty. Although the goalie got his hands on it, the ball goes in: 1-1.

 

In the 35^th minute Tormenta has an amazing from the penalty spot but the goalie stops it spectacularly. Ten minutes later a long ball comes to the Kings striker, who is inside the box, but his partly blocked shot goes well over the goal. Another cross from the right is volleyed from 5m at the goalie, who saves. Just before half-time, a long free kick of Tormenta is headed just over the goal (but the goalie had it covered). Half Time Score: 1-1.

 

The second half starts with several half chances for the visitors but the big chance is for same Kings striker who missed before and again misses from very close. In the 65^th minute the Kings get a massive chance at the lead, but the completely free header from a mere 5 meter away is headed across the goal, well wide. In the 75^th minute the Tormenta goalie intercepts the ball but steps outside the box. The consequent free kick is headed hard to the ground from 5 meters and the goalie saves with an amazing jump.

 

Just a minute later the visitors counter attack and shoot hard at the bar, but the ball bounces out from the goal line. In the 79^th minute Tormenta has a covered shot from just outside the box, which is hard and low in the far corner. The goalkeeper has no chance: 1-2.

 

There are no more goals and the game ends 1-2. A deserved win for the clearly better team. All in all, a fairly classic USL Division Two game. A soccer academy with no roots or stadium, playing for a hundred fans/customers, at modest levels. In fact, only the remarkably poor pitch stood out from other USL League Two games.