Morning Training at the Beach
The team had a different morning session than normal and headed to the beach for some work. The field players and goalkeepers separated, with Guido Bonini and Carlos Roa leading the way for the two groups. The goalkeepers worked on agility training and making diving saves, likely a welcome change from their usual diving on hard grass. The field players were put through some conditioning drills, including interval training where they would alternate between walking and sprinting.
Afternoon Session
In the afternoon, the team return to the training field and went through shooting drills for the first time this preseason. Head coach Matias Almeyda had the players dribble towards mannequins before cutting right or left and shooting. The drill utilized sharp angles on both sides of the field to force players to use their right and left foot. They also had a portion where they would shoot from straight down the middle. Many players appeared to be in midseason form, scoring some wonderful curling goals. However, the three net minders made several stunning saves as well to hold their own.
What’s Next
The team has a scrimmage scheduled for tomorrow morning, so they’ll aim to eat a healthy meal and get a good night’s rest. The team has been doing two-a-days in Santa Barbara since Sunday without missing a single session.
