It was everything we thought it would be, intense, emotional, exciting, and satisfying, as South City finally got the win that has eluded them for four years when they defeated Santa Clara Sporting by the count of 3-1. With SSFAC playing it's best football of the season at this point, they came out hard and took the game to Sporting. Early chances showed that SSF was ready. A perfect cross from Greg Hui just skipped pass a sliding Ethan Heil as he tried to poke it home from inside the six yard box. SSF kept the pressure on as midfielders Jack Blackley and Eric Holman dominated the center of the pitch and got continuous great runs from the wingers Hui and Nico Giovannelli. It paid off in the 16th minute when Blackley sent a beautiful curling pass to Hui, who blew by the defender with a clever move, leaving the defender with the only option of taking Hui down inside the penalty area. Franz Tschimben then drove home the penalty kick to the lower left corner to give SSF the lead. It was now game on as both teams traded chances and went at each other hard. The SSF defense completely frustrated the Sporting players as Gareth Lea, Alan Grady, Martin Wright and Fernando Costa killed off any momentum that Sporting tried to grab. Costa alone, completely shut down Sporting's play maker by taking away every inch of space he had and didn't allow him to set up his teammates as all his passes were rushed and at times misplayed. SSF upped it's lead to 2-0 when Kieran Lade worked some magic inside the Sporting six yard box keeping a loose ball alive and attempting to play it towards goal as the goal keeper frantically tried to gain control. The Keepers only recourse was to foul Lade, thus creating yet another penalty kick for AC. Carlos Ballesteros directed his shot low and to the right corner, but the keeper was able to make the stop. However, the reason he did so was because he came off his line early and the referee awarded another attempt to Ballesteros who then directed his next take into the left side netting for the score. Phillipe Gradt and Jesus De Haro also came on to solidify the midfield and control the play. With 23 minutes remaining in the match, Sporting was granted a penalty kick from a bumping incident and take down inside the SSF area. Goal Keeper Adrian Monroy dove to his left in the save attempt, and the shot went to his right, but amazingly, he managed to extend his foot and clear the ball away. Unfortunately, SSF was called for encroachment into the penalty area and the kick was retaken. This time Sporting found the net and the score was now 2-1. On this day, South City wasn't going to be disappointed. Carlos Ballesteros sent a lofted ball into the six yard box trying to pick out Tschimben from about 25 yards out. As Tschimben scrambled to the ball trying to evade the defender and the oncoming goal keeper, he screened out the two of them and the ball found its way into the net from Ballesteros' take at the 83rd minute mark. SSF then closed out the game with some solid possession. Goal Keeper Monroy was brilliant on this day, coming off his line to gather up every attempt and going high in the air to clear corner kicks from Sporting. It was a total team effort and South City achieved one of the most feel good wins in years.
It was everything we thought it would be, intense, emotional, exciting, and satisfying, as South City finally got the win that has eluded them for four years when they defeated Santa Clara Sporting by the count of 3-1. With SSFAC playing it's best football of the season at this point, they came out hard and took the game to Sporting. Early chances showed that SSF was ready. A perfect cross from Greg Hui just skipped pass a sliding Ethan Heil as he tried to poke it home from inside the six yard box. SSF kept the pressure on as midfielders Jack Blackley and Eric Holman dominated the center of the pitch and got continuous great runs from the wingers Hui and Nico Giovannelli. It paid off in the 16th minute when Blackley sent a beautiful curling pass to Hui, who blew by the defender with a clever move, leaving the defender with the only option of taking Hui down inside the penalty area. Franz Tschimben then drove home the penalty kick to the lower left corner to give SSF the lead. It was now game on as both teams traded chances and went at each other hard. The SSF defense completely frustrated the Sporting players as Gareth Lea, Alan Grady, Martin Wright and Fernando Costa killed off any momentum that Sporting tried to grab. Costa alone, completely shut down Sporting's play maker by taking away every inch of space he had and didn't allow him to set up his teammates as all his passes were rushed and at times misplayed. SSF upped it's lead to 2-0 when Kieran Lade worked some magic inside the Sporting six yard box keeping a loose ball alive and attempting to play it towards goal as the goal keeper frantically tried to gain control. The Keepers only recourse was to foul Lade, thus creating yet another penalty kick for AC. Carlos Ballesteros directed his shot low and to the right corner, but the keeper was able to make the stop. However, the reason he did so was because he came off his line early and the referee awarded another attempt to Ballesteros who then directed his next take into the left side netting for the score. Phillipe Gradt and Jesus De Haro also came on to solidify the midfield and control the play. With 23 minutes remaining in the match, Sporting was granted a penalty kick from a bumping incident and take down inside the SSF area. Goal Keeper Adrian Monroy dove to his left in the save attempt, and the shot went to his right, but amazingly, he managed to extend his foot and clear the ball away. Unfortunately, SSF was called for encroachment into the penalty area and the kick was retaken. This time Sporting found the net and the score was now 2-1. On this day, South City wasn't going to be disappointed. Carlos Ballesteros sent a lofted ball into the six yard box trying to pick out Tschimben from about 25 yards out. As Tschimben scrambled to the ball trying to evade the defender and the oncoming goal keeper, he screened out the two of them and the ball found its way into the net from Ballesteros' take at the 83rd minute mark. SSF then closed out the game with some solid possession. Goal Keeper Monroy was brilliant on this day, coming off his line to gather up every attempt and going high in the air to clear corner kicks from Sporting. It was a total team effort and South City achieved one of the most feel good wins in years.