Final Regular Season Home Game is a BIG WIN !!

       SSFAC Gets a 4-3 win over their rival......Click Here for Recap

                       

SSFAC needed a win on Sunday to keep their hopes alive for a 3rd place finish in the Pacific Premier League. It was going to be a tall order as the opponent was Santa Clara Sporting who rallied in the 88th minute in their first encounter 2 months ago to earn a 4-4 tie.

A win would vault South City above Sporting in the standings and while the season would be done for SSF, Sporting would still have 2 games remaining, but they would be against the top two teams in the league, Honduras U23 & In Motion FC., so Sporting wanted to put SSF in their rear view mirror with a victory this time around.

The match started with a ton of energy and Santa Clara had the games first big opportunity when a perfect through ball found their forward in a 1 on 1 situation with SSF's goalkeeper Adrian Monroy. Monroy came up huge as he has done all season long and he held his ground making a crucial save. South City began to grow into the game and in the 15 minute mark, they won a free kick in their own half of the pitch. Sam Nadell then sent a perfect pass behind their defense and Greg Hui ran onto the bouncing ball chipping over the onrushing goaslkeeper from 20 yards out to open the scoring putting South City in the lead at 1-0. Soon thereafter, SSF wins a losse ball and Hui plays a pass to Junior Pedemonte who then slots the ball around the charging Sporting keeper and deposits it into the far post for 2-0

SSF was now confident and controlling the match. in the 25th minute, Pedemonte is on the ball in the midfield and gets tripped from behind, however their is no foul call and Sporting take advantage. Santa Clara midfielder Tamba Mattia a former SWPL Player of the Week in October, makes a run, dribbles past multiple defenders and scores to narrow the lead to 2-1.

SSF was stunned but maintained their efforts and they struck back in the 35 minute when Felipe Gonzalez receives a ball on the right flank and whips in a perfect cross to Iulen Cabeza Gil who heads the ball with power into the back of the net for a 3-1 halftime lead.

The second half was sure to bring more fireworks and both teams did not disappoint. SSF added to the lead in the 55th minute when they earned a free kick in the Sporting half of the pitch. The ball was sent into the penalty area and Sporting had trouble clearing the ball away. It eventually fell to the feet of Avery Fisher who had come up from his centerback position to take the free kick. He makes a clever move to go around one defender but then is taken down from behind earning a penalty kick. Aidan Durgerian steps up to take it and fires it perfectly into the upper right corner which gave the Sporting keeper no chance and it was now 4-1.

Game over right?....well not quite yet. South City got a little too comfortable and failed to clear their lines and Sporting capitalized to make it 4-2 at 70 minutes. Now Santa Clara had a renewed belief and continued to press. They are rewarded when a loose ball falls to their forward and he finishes for 4-3

From being up 4-1 South City now found themselves in a battle to the finish and facing the prospect of yet another 4-4 tie with Sporting squandering a late game leads. South City dug in with everything they had. Avery Fisher & Louy Lerebourg making countless interceptions and tackles, including heroic last ditch slide tackles to prevent Sporting forwards from a clear shot at goal.

Manager Kevin Ma then makes some key substitions to bring on some fresh legs in an attempt to keep Sporting from gaining any more momentum. One last gasp came as in the 92nd minute the ball finds it's way to their former MLS & Mexico U20 international Julio Morales who rips a bullet on goal. Adrian Monroy gets a piece of it and deflects it off the post saving the game for SSFAC.

Finally it was GAME OVER and South City could celebrate the win. It was another classic battle which has become the case when these two clubs meet. SSF earned a much needed win and their strong start was the effort they needed to power them to the victory. Although it got a little to close late in the match, this time around SSF would not be denied and the character of this group was evident.