|
Continental Qualifier - Game #7 – Home vs Viitriul. I have Sato starting again. If we can hold our serve and win here, then there is still a chance. Although at #4 we’ll need some good results here. We are four points behind #4 and 7 behind #2. I begin controlling. Traore finds Sato for goal in the 9th minute. It was corner where the defense headed it back near the line, and Traore dropped it, and kicked over all of the mess of players and defenders to an open Sato on the other side, so good vision and quality by Traore there. 20 minutes pass quickly, and they are pushing hard. Can they sink that equalizer? Petre drives, crosses to Simonovski, goal, in the 39th minute. Half. We are up 2-0. Don’t get complacent. They have had 9 shots, 7 on target. That’s lethal stuff, but we have 17 and 10. They score on back in the 52nd. Petre dribbles down the flank, jukes a defender, finds Simonovski, who is double covered, he flicks it on to Gimenez, and he scores. In he 59th. I ease back to standard. I send in Rodriguez for Tandia. I move to counter, they are coming hard. They score in the 72nd. I hope they don’t tie this! Simonovski to Gimenez for goal in the 76th. Nevermind. I send in Stoychev and Ghinga. Sato finds Simonovski in the box for a goal in the 87th. We win 5-2, and MOM is Simonovski with his two goals and two assists.
Whew. Man. When Simonovski and Gimenez are clicking, I don’t envy anyone. They had almost twice as many goals on target as us on the day. But we still notched five goals.
Hadnagy finishes his next coaching quals. I convince the board to send him on another.
|