The L.A. Blues' long, hard, at times debilitating first campaign fell well short of the goal, their season ending with Friday's loss at Harrisburg, Pa., in a USL Pro playoff opener.
The Blues won four of their first six matches and only four of their final 19 as a heavily back-loaded schedule, iffy team chemistry, struggles to finish chances and an abrupt alteration of style -- following Argentine playmaker Walter Gaitan's June departure -- conspired to derail a talented side.
They wrapped the season 8-8-9 for 33 points, the seventh-best total in the 12-team, third-division competition, and finished third in the National Division after having a way-outside shot to win the group heading into the final week of the regular season. Only three teams, not counting the trio of Puerto Rico-based clubs booted from the league in May for financial reasons, won fewer games than the Blues.
“Disappointing. But what can you say?” head coach Charlie Naimo said after the 3-2 defeat to the Harrisburg City Islanders, who will play Friday at Rochester in the National Division final. “Everybody enjoins to be successful, but at the end of the day, only one team can be.
“I think we could have been better, and I think we talent-wise were as good as most at times, we just couldn't make our own luck.”
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/10541/locals-blues-miss-usl-pro-final-four
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