FC Berlin comes from behind twice to tie an incredible match
Article Written by Gabriel Almada for FC Berlin
Last Saturday’s game at Coyer Field had everything. We were expecting a good game of soccer and some good goals but what we ended up getting was above our expectations!
The game started very well for FC Berlin, moving the ball around effectively and generating opportunity after opportunity. Only six minutes into that first half, Ethan De Souza-Swan made one of his trademark high-speed slalom runs, then crossed the ball for Kyrell Kavanagh to tap the ball in and set the score 1-0 for Berlin.
It would be shortlived, though, as Maurice Channer took advantage of a defensive mistake and tied the match for FCY NY only three minutes later, only for Zakaria Shaibi to put his team up front shortly after that. Berlin felt the impact and navigated in the waters of their imprecisions for the remainder of the half.
The second period again showed FC Berlin at the top of their aggressiveness. FCY NY did not know how to stop their opponents, and soon the cautions began to accumulate. Against all odds, however, Shaibi managed to find himself in front of the Berlin keeper once again, and he did not miss. The 3-1 score for the home team did not reflect at all what was happening on the pitch. Luckily, our team was able to cut the deficit in half a few minutes later, after a play that featured the two best players on the pitch, Alex Khademi and Sean Burke; Khademi headed a corner kick back into the six yards, and found Burke ready to tap the ball in and put the score 2-3 for Berlin.
The last 20 minutes of the match were a challenge for those with a weak heart. Only three minutes later, the break that Berlin was hoping for finally arrived: Khademi was taken down in the box and Sonny Simpson put the ball on the spot for Berlin to take the lead. His shot, however, was aimed right at the centre of the net, and Catalano managed to deflect the ball into a corner kick with his legs.
But these guys were not done!! A long run by FCY’s Diego Rivera ended with him finding the back of the net and getting on a long celebratory run that included taking his shirt off, the corresponding caution, etc etc. It was the 84th minute and FCY NY was now up 4-3. What a disaster! Home team players started to go down to the ground accusing all kinds of injuries, to gain precious seconds and delay the play of a match that they were undeservedly leading. The time-killing antics proved counterproductive, though, because the referee added five minutes of injury time, and that was when Berlin was able to reap the rewards of such hard work.
An inconsequential foul 45 yards from the net, with the home team desperately calling for the game to end, had Malik Watson sending a beautiful curve shot to the box, which was headed into the net by Sonny Simpson who was desperately yearning for redemption. Berlin gloated, FCY ate crow. The game ended soon after, to the disappointment of a home team that saw two points seep through their fingers, but also to Berlin, who knew that they should have had better luck.
Alex Khademi, as mentioned, was picked as the player of the match. Berlin will return to action on Saturday, June 1st when they play home against Amlima FC at Coyer Field. This game will kick off at 1:00 PM and will be part of another double-header, featuring our UWS team hosting Erie Commodores at 4:00 PM EST.
Other results last week:
* 23/May/2024 – Rochester NY FC 3-0 Syracuse FC at RNY FC Soccer Complex
* 25/May/2024 – Chantilly Forever FC 4-1 Upstate United FC at Buffalo State Coyer Field
* 25/May/2024 – Smugtown FC 0-2 Amlima FC at Wheatland Chili HS – Stadium 2
* 26/May/2024 – Kilimanjaro Bandits FC 2-2 United Elite Krajisnik FC at D’Youville University – Dobson Field
