Competition: SLYSA League Game
Matchday: October 26, 2012
Venue: SLYSA #10

Sporting’s U11s battled with a tough-edged Lou Fusz team, looking to distance themselves from the relegation zone. In an evenly contested game, Sporting pulled out a 3 – 2 victory.

When Pat Mann’s U11 Boys’ Team tussled with Lou Fusz – Stull during their last meeting, the match ended in a draw. The teams again paired up closely with plenty of back and forth.

First Half

Sporting was first to notch a goal. Owen Lathrop slotted one past the keeper after running on to a ball headed past Fusz’s defense.

Stull’s U12s were quick to counter. Fusz’s Carter Reiss collected a ball hit over the top and ran at Sporting’s Blake Mann and Luke Kasubke , both holding down the back throughout the game. Once Reiss was in, he punted the ball over Sporting’s keeper, CJ Jaggie , leveling the game at one each.

The Rangers attempted to regain the lead moments later. Sammy Benoist slotted it to Owen Lathrop, just beyond the eighteen; Lathrop’s drive was collected by the keeper. Fusz, too, was not content to leave things level. Sporting gave the ball away in their own third, and Fusz’s Ben Schwarz fired a blast over the bar.

Watching the game, it was clear there were more goals to come. Indeed, both Sporting and Fusz would each score again before half. Sporting’s Sammy Benoist pushed the ball past a midfielder, found space and time as he entered Fusz’s defensive third, looked up at the frame and chipped a goal into the upper corner. Stull’s U12s followed suit with a similar attempt. A drive from well outside the eighteen floated toward the upper corner. CJ Jaggie made a diving stop. The ball fell to Fusz’s Sean Cody who finished with an improbable thigh-ball strike into the back of the net. A classic poacher’s goal – Cody made the correct run and capitalized on the opportunity waiting for him.

The half ended level at 2 – 2.

Second Half

Sporting had the better part of the second half, though Fusz did not go without chances of their own.

Drew Schenk had Sporting’s first chance in the second half. Stealing the ball from a Fusz back, Schenk shot wide of the mark. Shane Ohearn made a great run down the right wing and crossed it to Schenk for another attempt. The Fusz defense was well organized and Thomas Amdt made the stop. A flurry of opportunities went unrewarded. Sporting played positively, moving the ball and connecting on a number of great sequences, including a four-pass sequence in which Lucas Trulove finished with a run to the byline and a ball across the six, a painfully missed chance.

“There were times, a couple of different series in that game,” coach Pat Mann said, “when I think we moved the ball the best we’ve done all year.”

Sporting’s attack kept building, and a goal seemed inevitable. But first, Fusz would take control and put a scare into Sporting’s supporters. Cole Kaczmarek laid the ball off to an on-rushing Sean Cody. Cody rattled the woodwork. The ball hammered the bar, struck the ground in the mouth of the goal and was cleared away. It was the kind of shot that had Fusz supporters wishing for goal-line technology.

Having avoided disaster, Sporting ratcheted it up, again. Benoist played a well-timed ball in. Devin Livingstone deftly tucked it into the far corner.

Energized, Sporting tied together two more quality chances. In the closing minutes of the game. Ohearn connected with Livingstone on an overlapping run; Livingstone slotted the ball in to Schenk, who hit it wide. After bringing the ball up through the middle, Benoist played up to Schenk. Drew Schenk pivoted with a cut turn and unleashed. The Fusz keeper climbed into the sky and touched the ball over the bar in what was likely the best save of the game.

An entertaining and well-played game. Final: Sporting 3, Fusz 2.