Mississippi Brilla FC News Release -- www.brillasoccer.org
Monday, May 30, 2011
JACKSON, Miss. -- In a match that had implications for both the Southeast Division of the Premier Development League and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualification, the Nashville Metros visited Harper Davis Field on Monday night. But needing a victory to give itself a chance at the U.S. Open Cup draw on Tuesday, the Brilla saw the Metros score in the 90th minute to force a 2-2 draw and leave the Brilla with a 3-0-1 record in qualifying, allowing the Central Florida Kraze to earn the Southeast Division’s berth to the tournament with a 4-0-0 record.
The Brilla and the Metros squared off last Thursday night in Nashville with Brilla taking a 5-0 win that was aided by an early red card. Nashville made sure to exact a measure of revenge and keep Brilla from qualifying for the Open Cup. Any Brilla victory other than a 1-0 win would have been enough to earn them the Open Cup bid.
Neither team was able to create many chances in the first half, and the game remained scoreless at the break. Mississippi had the best opportunity with Joey De Mare’s chip glancing off the post in the ninth minute. After the interval, Nashville struck first when Jonathan Jackson’s long-range blast deflected off a Brilla defender, bounced off the inside of the Brilla post and rolled into the far-side netting.
But the Brilla equalized in the very next minute when substitute David Palmer found Brilla captain Mike Azira at the back post. Azira controlled and then finished in the Nashville net. Second-year Brilla defender Thomas Shannon then notched his first goal for the club in the 79th minute when Joey DeMare’s free kick bounced through the Nashville box to Shannon’s head at the back post, putting Mississippi in position to earn the Open Cup berth.
At that point the Brilla looked in control and should have put the game away with a few late chances, but Nashville never gave up and Jean Tshimpaka rewarded their persistence when knocked in a near post cross from Terry Keagan in the 90th minute. The goal was enough to secure a draw for Nashville and knock Brilla out of the Open Cup.
“I have to give credit to the Metros," Brilla coach David Dixon said. "They could have easily come into this game defeated after the big loss we handed them Thursday night. They fought hard and earned this draw. I obviously felt we should have done better, but I really can’t say they didn’t deserve it.”
Mississippi will have a chance to get back to their winning ways as they host the Central Florida Kraze this Saturday at Harper Davis Field at Millsaps College. The match between the two undefeated teams will kickoff at 7 p.m.