Eagles heading to indoor soccer finals
UTM men’s and women’s teams picked up a pair of underdog victories to move within a game of lifting another trophy.
Last week, I wrote that anything could happen in a one-off game at the knockout stages of any competition. I used the saying la palla è rotunda – Italian for the ball is round – to make the case that despite neither of the Eagles’ team being favourites in their matchups, nothing is guaranteed until the referee blows his whistle three times.
Sunday’s matches were anything but casual. Both the Men’s and Women’s squads brought a different kind of energy and focus to the games, which helped them achieve two incredible upset wins and advance to the finals.
Men’s side with massive upset
The Men faced a UTSG Red team that was yet to lose a game in the indoor season. The remarkable performance of defender Paul Doherty is but the crowning jewel in what was a perfectly executed team performance. In fact, the way Doherty could score a brace despite playing in a defensive role is symbolic of the unity the Eagles displayed in their game strategy, ensuring that both attack and defense became a full team effort.
That’s perhaps what was lacking the most during the regular season, as the boys regularly displayed good quality attacking football but often failed to defend goalkeeper Mohaisen’s net effectively. The threat of being knocked out is perhaps what imposed a strong sense of urgency to the way the team played. At the same time, having nothing to lose is what made the guys play with leggerezza, a sense of tranquility and confidence in oneself.
Despite falling behind twice, the Eagles never let the game run away from them. A well worked team goal gave the Reds the lead, but an equally cutting sequence saw Doherty meet a cross at the back post and slot in the equalizer. Reds took the lead again with a counter-attack, although UTM protested a foul on Doherty in the attacking end which they felt should have been called.
Assisted by captain Erik Selvaggi, Doherty equalised again, and as the teams headed into the last ten minutes of regular time, the game was up for grabs. The shadow of extra-time lingered, but once again being the difference maker, Selvaggi broke through the midfield line with his speed and dribbling abilities before squaring the ball to Kacper Ambrozewicz, who gave UTM the lead for the first time in the game with a weak foot finish in the bottom corner.
The clock read five minutes remaining, and the Eagles dug deep and sat back, absorbing the pressure and neutralising the attacks. As the final whistle blew, coaches and players erupted in celebration on the field.
Women’s team win big when it matters
On the adjacent field, the Women showed remarkable determination to get what is, astonishingly, their first win of the indoor season. Goals from Amelia Caron and Kirsty Carnan made the scoreline 2-0 in favour of the Eagles, giving goalkeeper Keira Johannson her first clean sheet of the year.
After the game, UTM senior Laura Neira commented on the difference between this game and the ones they had played before. “I think we were all very focused on the objective and we brought the correct energy, intensity, and attitude to achieve it,” she stated. Neira also mentioned that every player gave their absolute maximum effort to win, competing all the way to the final whistle.
There is only so much time for the Eagles to celebrate, as they will need to look ahead at what is expected to be a pair of fierce final matches. The Eagles cannot let complacency slow them down. What they have done so far has been amazing, but it won’t mean much if they do not bring the title home.
Looking forward
I’d like to bring a brief anecdote from the dressing room to wish the Eagles best of luck for their finals. After their 1-1 tie to UTSG Blue to end the regular season, the tension was palpable in the changeroom, with coaches and players arguing over what went wrong in a game they felt should’ve been won.
A number of players announced that they felt they were the best team in the league, and when the coaches pointed out that the results said otherwise, they replied that they will show it on the field the following week, and then the week after that.
Dear Eagles, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is.
