U17 North American Finals Showcase
2011 Super Y-League North American Finals
Saturday, December 3, 2011
BRANDON, Fla. – The Florida Soccer Alliance’s U17 Boys rallied from a two-goal halftime deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with Black Watch SC at the USL Super Y-League North Americans Finals in the tournament’s Saturday Night Showcase. The draw put FSA one point away from a place in the semifinals, while also allowing TSF Academy to earn its berth after a pair of victories in its opening two games.
FSA scored with just three minutes remaining from the penalty spot after a handball as both sets of players competed for a long free kick pumped into the penalty area. Ian Svantesson coolly slotted the shot home into the right side of the goal, tying the game.
“Ian’s a big part of our team,” FSA coach Eric Sellick said. “He’s a leader, on and off the field, he’s got amazing talent and our boys rely on him a little bit and he normally steps up.”
Needing a victory to pull even with FSA in Group A, the late goal was a disappointing one for Black Watch to give up. They had started the stronger of the two sides, with center back Zach Rockmore going close in the third minute on a header that slid just wide of the right post. Morgan Smith also had his shot saved by FSA’s Brandon Stimak after a short corner from the right, and Black Watch found great success using the speed of Brandon Thompson.
Thompson created a good chance down the right side, finding full back Luke Scarchili on the overlap for a deep cross that was met by Eli Sterngrass’ diving header, only for it to find the left side-netting. In the 21st minute, though, Thompson wouldn’t be denied as he headed home from Smith’s cross to open the scoring.
Thompson then turned provider eight minutes later as he fought past his marker and cut back a perfect cross for Massimo Smiroldo to finish into the right corner of the net, and put Black Watch up 2-0.
At that point, FSA seemed out of sync, with passes often going astray in the attacking end. But five minutes before the break it found a rhythm, and after Michael O’Sullivan had his shot charged down on a half-chance, FSA got its first penalty of the game in first-half stoppage time. But Black Watch maintained their two-goal lead on the final kick of the half as Madison Wilcox got down well to save Chris Henderson’s penalty, smothering the rebound as he dove to his right.
The missed penalty didn’t deter FSA, though, and they continued to press as the second half began. Sventasson almost pulled one back after knifing through a pair of defenders 20 yards from goal, only to see his shot come back off the left post.
FSA finally broke through in the 63rd minute, as Benji Briegel headed home from a cross by Craig Caneza from the left. Black Watch was then dealt a blow as Thompson was forced off with an injury with 20 minutes to go.
But as time wore on it appeared that Black Watch would hold on for a crucial three points, only for Svantesson’s penalty kick to deny them.
“We had a good bit of the game,” Black Watch coach Steve Freeman said. “But when our better players don’t perform well enough, we don’t deserve to win.”
Sellick said he was pleased with the way his side responded after going behind by two goals.
“We had our backs against the wall, and we had to get some kind of a result,” he said. “It’s massive.”