What happens when two talented 36-year-olds face off against 30 8-year-olds on a soccer field? We now know the answer to that question, thanks to the LA Galaxy's Robbie Keane and midfielder Steven Gerrard.
The match was the finale in the LA Galaxy's "Ridiculous Soccer Challenge" series; we also found it to be good fun as we reach the end of a week's worth of serious news.
Despite the youngsters' show of energy and talent, the two former Premier League captains prevailed, thanks to the wiles they honed in long pro careers and a collective 260 international games. A key component of Gerrard's and striker Keane's game plan was generous spacing: They often kept a player in each half of the pitch.
But the kids from the "beehive," as the announcer called them, made a game of it, with one girl picking Keane's pocket to defuse an early threat, and another youngster showing a nose for the net — scoring both of her team's goals.
Keane scored the difference-maker late, using nifty footwork to get the ball past Lilliputian defenders, one of whom he high-fived after popping the ball into the net.
With the final score at 3-2, the announcer said, "We've come to the end of this one, as the team of Gerrard and Keane will get the win — and orange slices for everybody."
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