The squad that was accepted into the USL last summer, was announced last fall, and finalized its roster this past winter, opens the spring with the first of 20 regular-season games spanning from April to August, with four of the league’s 10 teams reaching a single-elimination postseason tournament. Real Maryland will host the Pioneers at the Maryland SoccerPlex, the Monarchs’ home field, in Boyds at 4 p.m.
But now that the time has arrived, the most important question is: How good will they be?
Of course, it’s impossible to tell how the Monarchs will fare against USL-2 competition just yet. But there are some promising preliminary signs. According to Real Maryland General Manager Bienvenido Martinez, the Monarchs have the highest roster salary in the entire league, which indicates that they should have enough talent to succeed in their first go-round. And in their only scrimmage against league competition, they defeated Crystal Palace Baltimore — who lost just five games in 2007 — 1-0, while creating numerous scoring opportunities throughout the match.
The cast
Against Crystal Palace, Real Maryland head coach Silvino Gonzalo used a 4-3-3 alignment — four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards — in what is generally regarded as a defensive formation. Though he will balance the field with multiple sets throughout the season, the 4-3-3 could be the most utilized one, because he thinks he has the offensive firepower to do it.
What should make Real Maryland most potent is their midfield, full of experience and international style. It features arguably the team’s two most-prized possessions, both Salvadoran National Team players: 10-year Major League Soccer veteran Ronald Cerritos, 33, and Dennis Alas, who is 10 years younger but similarly skilled. Both can finish, but are good ball-handlers and passers. They have also played with together with San Salvador F.C. for nearly three years, and both feel this gives them an advantage.
‘‘Definitely, he knows where I’m going to get him the ball and where to move,” said Cerritos. ‘‘You don’t have to think about it.”
Cerritos will patrol the center midfield, while Alas will usually be on the left side. Another key cog in the middle will be Virginia International Soccer League import Teodoro Ramirez, who plays with just as much speed as his two heralded teammates. He has speed and finishing skills, as well as solid leaping ability on headers. Against Crystal Palace, he was all over the field, nearly cashing in on multiple scoring chances.
The guys who will be relied on to do the finishing up top are a little more of a question mark. In fact, they accounted for all three Real Maryland goals in the team’s first four scrimmages.
The two forwards who have appeared to be the most potent couldn’t be more different. One is Williams Brindley, 25, a homegrown talent (Chestertown, Md.) who nearly signed with Wrexham Football Club in England, but was unable to get international clearance to play. He scored the team’s first-ever goal, in the 70th minute of the team’s opening scrimmage against George Washington University on March 1. The other is Nilson Perez, 32, a Colombian National Team veteran who scored 78 career goals for his native country in international competition. He has showcased that finishing ability already, with game-winning tallies against Crystal Palace and George Mason University on March 22. Perez could be the team’s high-scorer on the year, as he has shown an uncanny knack for finding the ball around the net and getting on the receiving end of dangerous passes.
The backfield is a potentially dominant one, with versatility and size, and has allowed just two goals in their first four scrimmages. Center back Daryl Ferguson is the anchor, an absolute stud in the middle with a size-speed (listed modestly at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds) combination that no one else on the team can match. A Barbados National Team player, he’s also played with the D.C. United U-19 team, and was brought up from the Delaware Dynasty, a USL Player Development League team.
He’s not the only starting defender with size — 2003 Springbrook High grad Philippe Bissohong, who just graduated from University of Maryland-Baltimore County this past winter, is 6-2 himself, and nearly as thickly built as Ferguson. At 5-10, right back Devlin Barnes (2000 graduate of The Heights) isn’t quite as big, but has pedigree — he was all-Atlantic 10 at the University of Massachusetts, and has even played in the USL’s First Division, with the Atlanta Silverbacks.
‘‘I think we’re going to have a very strong defense,” said Bissohong, who played forward in high school before moving to the backfield in his two years at UMBC. ‘‘Just the talent level is so high.”
The spot in net is a two-horse race, between Colombian import Christian Montero and Maryland resident Emilio Zelaya. Though Gonzalo has not named either a definitive starter as of yet, Zelaya would appear to have the upper hand right now, on the heels of a solid performance against Crystal Palace.
The competition
The league’s schedule-makers certainly didn’t do Real Maryland any favors. With nine division foes and 20 overall games, the Monarchs will play each team at least twice, and two teams three times.
Unfortunately for them, those teams are the reigning league-champion Harrisburg City Islanders and the Cleveland City Stars, who lost the fewest number of overall games (two) in 2007.
Both teams should be near the top of the league once again. The Islanders return nearly their entire core, including defender Anthony Calvano (played every minute a year ago), and a trio of midfielders with Mo Odour (team-leading six goals), David Schofield (team-leading four assists) and Brian Ombiji (13 points).
The Stars lost their leading scorer, Adam Moffat (second in the league with 18 points) to the Columbus Crew of the MLS. But they added two USL First Division players, 2007 Minnesota Thunder midfielder and former team captain Godfrey Tenoff and former California Victory defender Kiel McClung. Last year was the Stars’ first in the USL-2, an encouraging footnote for Real Maryland.
‘‘You know I think this team will be competitive — I think we can beat teams right now,” said Gonzalo. ‘‘I don’t want to say we’ll be a championship team but I think we’re going to be pretty good.”
What Silvino Says
Head coach Silvino Gonzalo discusses some of Real Maryland’s top players
FORWARDS
William Brindley (5-10, 175), 25, Chestertown, Md.
‘‘He will score goals in this league. You can count on that. He’s very strong and he likes to take you on one-on-one. He makes good runs for us up front.”
Nilson Perez (5-7, 172), 32, Baranquilla-Atlantico, Colombia
‘‘So much experience, obviously from Colombia. He’s getting used to soccer here in the United States a little bit. Like I told him, it’s much faster, and the marking is much closer. But he’s going to be important for us. Some guys may have more speed, but they don’t look for space like he does.”
MIDFIELDERS
Dennis Alas (5-7, 160), 23, El Salvador
‘‘Just a young, excellent player who’s very strong and very smart. At his age, he’s played at a high level. His long pass is very accurate. He can put the ball right there from 25 to 30 yards away. And he’s also a great defender.”
Ronald Cerritos (5-9, 155), 33, El Salvador
‘‘As you know, Ronald is a very, very, very experienced player. Seventy goals in 10 years with MLS, captain of the Salvadoran National Team. You know about him. I call him the Beckham of the USL.”
DEFENDERS
Devlin Barnes (5-10, 170), 26, Bethesda
‘‘He’s one of our top players. He has a lot of skills, and he likes to push the ball up front. That’s something we need, someone who’s very comfortable with the ball on their feet. In my opinion, he will also be one of the best defenders in the league.”
Philippe Bissohong (6-2, 185), 22, Silver Spring
‘‘He’s another young, local kid, just out of UMBC. He’s very strong, very fast, and much like Daryl. He’s definitely a promising prospect.”
Daryl Ferguson (6-1, 190), 22, Washington, D.C.
‘‘Oh my gosh, he’s a big guy. A big, little kid. He’s so strong and a great person. He is a beast. He will be one of the very best defenders in this league one day.”
ticket info
Season or individual game tickets can be purchased on-line at realmaryland.us or by calling 301-933-6460.
