Super-20 League Feature
Friday, July 19, 2013
BRADENTON, Fla. – The Toronto Lynx scored late in either half to take a 2-0 victory against the Laredo Heat and seal a place in the semifinals of the Super-20 League Championship on Friday morning at IMG Academy. Tremane Grant and Anthony Novak both scored for the Lynx in a physical contest against the Heat.
Both teams entered having won their opening game in Group B, but the game was a little choppy from the outside. Toronto was able to have the better of possession, knocking the ball around well to try and build through the midfield, but they were unable to find much incisiveness in the early going. Blake Jones’ effort from distance was saved comfortable in the 13th minute, and would prove the only real scoring opportunity in the opening half-hour.
The Lynx pushed more strongly as the half went on, and Grant went close to giving his side the lead in the 37th minute as a good move opened up space in the left channel, only for his shot to go wide of the right post. Six minutes later, however, Grant would give his side the lead as his diving header off a good cross from the right put Toronto up at the halftime break.
Toronto came close to adding to its lead four minutes into the second half as a counter-attack came to Darnelle Parris on the right, and his cross was met by Novak, who sent his volley over the crossbar. Ten minutes later the Lynx again threatened as a cross from the right was controlled and laid back for Christian Moncrief, only for his shot to curl over the crossbar.
Laredo would start to gain momentum midway through the second half, and forced its first good scoring opportunity in the 71st minute as a header by Rolando Flores was comfortably saved by Toronto goalkeeper Triston Henry. The Heat were then given a lifeline two minutes later as Moncreif was sent off after earning a second yellow card, reducing the Lynx to 10 men.
Despite having the extra man, though, Laredo was unable to threaten Henry’s goal much in the final 15 minutes. It would be Toronto, in fact, that would carve out the better chances in the closing stages, with Sebastian Arangio sending a shot high after a good flick of Henry’s long clearance put him in on the left side of the penalty area in the 86th minute.
A minute later, Toronto would put the game away, and seal a place in the semifinals. The Lynx again drove forward, and while Arangio’s run into the penalty area was broken up, a poor clearance came to Novak, who blasted a finish in the bottom-left corner. The goal clinched victory, and a contest with the winner of Saturday’s Group D game between Alamo SC and Force Football Club in the semifinals.
POTOMAC 2, ORLANDO 1: Potomac had been eliminated before taking the field due to Toronto’s win, but they didn’t play like a side with nothing to play for as they rallied behind a pair of goals by Abdel Fonkako for a late victory against Orlando City SC.
Potomac went behind midway through the first half, but came close to tying the game just before the halftime break as a header by Nick Breitsameter flashed just wide of the left post. Potomac continued to build momentum in the second half, as a long-range effort by Stephen Hauschild went over the crossbar. Pilawe Pato also went close, shooting just over the top-right corner of the net after weaving run took him past a pair of defenders.
Fonkako would pull his side level with 20 minutes to go as he picked up a good pass Hauschild in the right channel and moved in on goal before he shot low at the near post to pull his side level. Fonkako had a chance to give his side the lead three minutes later, but he was unable to get the full purchase on his header and it was comfortably saved.
Breitsameter also threatened for Potomac, a fiercely-struck volley parried away well, but they would finally grab a winning goal with three minutes to go as Fonkako held off his marker as they battled for a long clearance by goalkeeper Santos Castillo and shot over the advancing goalkeeper from just inside the penalty area.
Orlando had opened the game well, and the Lions were rewarded with the opening goal in the 20th minute as Christian Bores timed his run into the left channel well to get onto the end of a through-ball by Felipe Oliveira before he shot home at the near post. Oliveira would also go close to adding to its lead five minutes before the break as Oliveira shot just over the top-left corner of the net, but as the game went on the Lions would fade, allowing Potomac to rally to take victory.