Taft rally saves CPL tourney hopes
Eagles recover from deficit to beat Soto 3-2 in shortened game
By Mike Garofola
CHICAGO -- Two early first-half goals only added to the severe case of nerves manager Jeff Lucco and his men from Taft brought into their Chicago Public League opening playoff opening pool game Tuesday afternoon in Norwood Park. But three unanswered goals by the home side eased the ailment and allowed the Eagles to maintain their dream of a quarterfinals berth with a controversial 3-2 prematurely ended victory over Soto.
Taft can cement its spot with a win or tie 5 p.m. Thursday at Kelly.
"Three of the four teams still remaining in the playoffs are back from last years last four - but for awhile, it didn't look like we'd get back there again," said a relieved Lucco, use club lost to Lane Tech in PKs (4-2 after a 2-2 tie) in the final.
"We came in with six-straight wins, and lot of confidence, but I can tell you now I was so nervous leading up to the start of this game.
"We knew Soto was a very good team, with 3-4 excellent attacking players, and you just don't know sometime how your guys will come out and play."
"Oh yeah, I was really nervous also," admitted center back, Marek Klimak,who struck the deciding goal at 46 minutes to complete the Eagles incredible fight-back after they were forced to chase two goals just before twenty minutes had gone by.
"That first one they scored was incredible. (There) was nothing we could do about it."
"The second goal was a good one also. But all of sudden I got to thinking, uh-oh, this isn't good. How did we mess up so bad to concede two goals?"
However, both Klimak, and his teammate, Patrick Knap never lost faith in themselves or their mates, and when Jonathan Meneses pulled one back in the 29th minute, each knew it would be only a matter of time before their disastrous start would be erased.
"It sure was a wake-up call for all us, but like Marek said, Jonathan's goal brought us back into the game. And after that, we finally began to play like we know we can," added Knap.
The senior has been something of a super scorer for the Eagles. He's bagged nine in the last three contests to run his season total to a team-high 16.
Lucco was wary of the challenge Soto (10-4-1) would offer should it get on the scoresheet first, then follow its tactical approach of sitting in, and playing all but one lone striker behind the ball.
"We knew how important it was to score first, but our fears were realized when they scored just four minutes into the game. (We) knew we had to get after it when no. 11 (Marvin Lopez) hit that incredible shot of his," said Lucco.
When the Eagles (9-5-3) got careless in its own end, up stepped Lopez. He ran onto a loose ball before unloading a 35-yard guided missile that nearly tore a hole in the back of the net with its sheer force.
Sergio Diaz would have a go on consecutive travels into the Soto end after the Lopez goal, with each missing their mark. Three free kicks from Klimek also bore no fruit -- the Eagles didn't get close to being on the end of his long serves.
Soto sent the Eagles reeling when its terrific central midfielder Gerardo Gomez used a clever touch to redirect a Jesus Martinez 19th-minute helper when his right-to-left run left him unmarked inside the six-yard box.
"We knew we had to win to have a chance to get ourselves back into the last four, but things weren't looking to good for us after that second goal. That's why I was hoping we'd get at least one back before the half," said Lucco.
"When we got back even before the break, I knew we would be in good shape."
True to form, when the visitors grabbed their two-goal advantage, manager Matthew Ribbens reigned in his club - throwing several more players behind the ball, and allowing the Eagles to possess as much as they wanted in the midfield before meeting plenty of pressure on the ball, sometimes with two or three players, when the advanced.
Gerardo Gomez, well over 6-foot-4, was deployed just in front the Soto backline. With his height advantage, it came as little surprise who would win the aerial war when the Eagles attempts to play direct (and) up and over would go to.
It was terrific ball movement from Diaz, Alexis Sanchez and Meneses that broke open the defense. When Sanchez looped a clever little ball towards the spot, it forced Soto keeper Daniel Jimenez off his line. That gave Meneses an open net to target.
The senior went over Jimenez from in-close for the score, but in the process reinjured his arm that was in a soft cast. Later, he was helped off the field following his 29th minute goal.
"That was a big-time play for us from Jonathan, he really came through when we needed him to (but) unfortunately, it looked like he injured the same arm he fractured in the offseason," said Klimek.
Meneses would not return to action, and later was off to the hospital with his family to check the injury.
Taft was now brimming with confidence, and Lucco went with three up-top for the final 10 minutes of the first half. It appeared to be only a matter of time before the Eagles would find the equalizer.
With Sanchez running toward the back post - Patrick Bogusz' wonderfully weighted crossfield free kick flew right to his teammate, who steered in the Eagles second goal of the afternoon.
"Alexis has been our go-to guy in our attack the last six games, along with Patrick and Melvin (Zamora), and none was bigger than the one that got us even," said Lucco.
The wind would shift in favor of the Eagles after the intermission, but it was Soto sophomore Jesus Gutierrez who nearly struck first when he threatened from 30 yards.
Taft created several free kick and long-throw chances in the second half, most of which were designed to take full advantage of the gusty breezes. The most successful dead ball opportunity began with Klimek standing over the ball from 40 yards away.
He drove his long-range attempt with plenty of pace and fury. When it arrived into the box, it went through the outstretched gloves of Jimenez, who was unable to deal with the late surge of the Klimek strike.
"We were just trying to get as many balls on frame in that second half, and I guess that one was able to make it into the back of the net," said Klimek, who was named Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match for his efforts on both sides of the ball.
With the guests still sitting deep and attempting to maintain its shape while looking to counter, the game began to take a nasty twist with a handful of yellow cards issued due to hard fouls, dissent, and some after-the-whistle unsporting behavior.
The referee on the near side of the park had little patience from the opening whistle. He booked Lucco, and later both Ribbens and his assistant.
Soto's Jimenez was called into action twice after Knap sent his header towards the frame. Just before that another free kick from Klimek went off Jimenez and one of his teammates, and nearly onto the foot of Knap at the near post.
Soto's senior captain Luis Lopez went over the bar with his well-executed half volley before Taft's Knap found the post, then Ilyas Boukrim rattled the woodwork with his free kick, all in a span of sixty seconds.
The game took a strange turn after Lopez was shown his second yellow, which resulted in an automatic red and ejection.
On his way to the Soto bench, Lopez gestured toward the official which was apparently deemed inappropriate enough to have that same official call the game for good in the 71st minute.
"That's a crazy ending we had today," began Lucco. "I know if I was the Soto coach, I'd be upset that we didn't play a full-time game."
"I feel bad for him because he seems like a good guy, who has his team coached well and dangerous. So that's a terrible way to end the game and their chances in the playoffs.
"For us, I am proud of the effort of our team today, and for the seniors who have played their final game here at Taft."
"They worked and trained hard in our program. And for many of them, they have enjoyed plenty of success on this field, which isn't very pretty, but it's still home to us."
Starting lineups
Soto (4-4-2 starting formation)
GK- Daniel Jimenez
D- Jose Romero
D- Javier Rodriguez
D- Luis Lopez
D- Francisco Chavez
M- Diego Lopez
M- Gerardo Gomez
M- Marvin Lopez
M- Jesus Gutierrez
F- Gabriel Pulicio
F- Deigo Leon
Taft (3-4-3)
GK- Pablo Rueda
D- Mateusz Kozlara
D- Marek Klimek
D- Byron Abayya
M- Alexis Sanchez
M- Ilyas Boukrim
M- Brandon Tovar
M- Sergio Diaz
M- Joshua Andreau
F- Melvin Zamora
F- Patrick Knap
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Marek Klimek, sr., D, Taft
Scoring Summary
Taft
Meneses (Sanchez) 29'
Sanchez (Bogusz) 36'
Klimek (FK) 46'
Victoria Soto
M. Lopez (U/A) 4'
G. Gomez (J. Martinez) 19'
Eagles recover from deficit to beat Soto 3-2 in shortened game
By Mike Garofola
CHICAGO -- Two early first-half goals only added to the severe case of nerves manager Jeff Lucco and his men from Taft brought into their Chicago Public League opening playoff opening pool game Tuesday afternoon in Norwood Park. But three unanswered goals by the home side eased the ailment and allowed the Eagles to maintain their dream of a quarterfinals berth with a controversial 3-2 prematurely ended victory over Soto.
Taft can cement its spot with a win or tie 5 p.m. Thursday at Kelly.
"Three of the four teams still remaining in the playoffs are back from last years last four - but for awhile, it didn't look like we'd get back there again," said a relieved Lucco, use club lost to Lane Tech in PKs (4-2 after a 2-2 tie) in the final.
"We came in with six-straight wins, and lot of confidence, but I can tell you now I was so nervous leading up to the start of this game.
"We knew Soto was a very good team, with 3-4 excellent attacking players, and you just don't know sometime how your guys will come out and play."
"Oh yeah, I was really nervous also," admitted center back, Marek Klimak,who struck the deciding goal at 46 minutes to complete the Eagles incredible fight-back after they were forced to chase two goals just before twenty minutes had gone by.
"That first one they scored was incredible. (There) was nothing we could do about it."
"The second goal was a good one also. But all of sudden I got to thinking, uh-oh, this isn't good. How did we mess up so bad to concede two goals?"
However, both Klimak, and his teammate, Patrick Knap never lost faith in themselves or their mates, and when Jonathan Meneses pulled one back in the 29th minute, each knew it would be only a matter of time before their disastrous start would be erased.
"It sure was a wake-up call for all us, but like Marek said, Jonathan's goal brought us back into the game. And after that, we finally began to play like we know we can," added Knap.
The senior has been something of a super scorer for the Eagles. He's bagged nine in the last three contests to run his season total to a team-high 16.
Lucco was wary of the challenge Soto (10-4-1) would offer should it get on the scoresheet first, then follow its tactical approach of sitting in, and playing all but one lone striker behind the ball.
"We knew how important it was to score first, but our fears were realized when they scored just four minutes into the game. (We) knew we had to get after it when no. 11 (Marvin Lopez) hit that incredible shot of his," said Lucco.
When the Eagles (9-5-3) got careless in its own end, up stepped Lopez. He ran onto a loose ball before unloading a 35-yard guided missile that nearly tore a hole in the back of the net with its sheer force.
Sergio Diaz would have a go on consecutive travels into the Soto end after the Lopez goal, with each missing their mark. Three free kicks from Klimek also bore no fruit -- the Eagles didn't get close to being on the end of his long serves.
Soto sent the Eagles reeling when its terrific central midfielder Gerardo Gomez used a clever touch to redirect a Jesus Martinez 19th-minute helper when his right-to-left run left him unmarked inside the six-yard box.
"We knew we had to win to have a chance to get ourselves back into the last four, but things weren't looking to good for us after that second goal. That's why I was hoping we'd get at least one back before the half," said Lucco.
"When we got back even before the break, I knew we would be in good shape."
True to form, when the visitors grabbed their two-goal advantage, manager Matthew Ribbens reigned in his club - throwing several more players behind the ball, and allowing the Eagles to possess as much as they wanted in the midfield before meeting plenty of pressure on the ball, sometimes with two or three players, when the advanced.
Gerardo Gomez, well over 6-foot-4, was deployed just in front the Soto backline. With his height advantage, it came as little surprise who would win the aerial war when the Eagles attempts to play direct (and) up and over would go to.
It was terrific ball movement from Diaz, Alexis Sanchez and Meneses that broke open the defense. When Sanchez looped a clever little ball towards the spot, it forced Soto keeper Daniel Jimenez off his line. That gave Meneses an open net to target.
The senior went over Jimenez from in-close for the score, but in the process reinjured his arm that was in a soft cast. Later, he was helped off the field following his 29th minute goal.
"That was a big-time play for us from Jonathan, he really came through when we needed him to (but) unfortunately, it looked like he injured the same arm he fractured in the offseason," said Klimek.
Meneses would not return to action, and later was off to the hospital with his family to check the injury.
Taft was now brimming with confidence, and Lucco went with three up-top for the final 10 minutes of the first half. It appeared to be only a matter of time before the Eagles would find the equalizer.
With Sanchez running toward the back post - Patrick Bogusz' wonderfully weighted crossfield free kick flew right to his teammate, who steered in the Eagles second goal of the afternoon.
"Alexis has been our go-to guy in our attack the last six games, along with Patrick and Melvin (Zamora), and none was bigger than the one that got us even," said Lucco.
The wind would shift in favor of the Eagles after the intermission, but it was Soto sophomore Jesus Gutierrez who nearly struck first when he threatened from 30 yards.
Taft created several free kick and long-throw chances in the second half, most of which were designed to take full advantage of the gusty breezes. The most successful dead ball opportunity began with Klimek standing over the ball from 40 yards away.
He drove his long-range attempt with plenty of pace and fury. When it arrived into the box, it went through the outstretched gloves of Jimenez, who was unable to deal with the late surge of the Klimek strike.
"We were just trying to get as many balls on frame in that second half, and I guess that one was able to make it into the back of the net," said Klimek, who was named Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match for his efforts on both sides of the ball.
With the guests still sitting deep and attempting to maintain its shape while looking to counter, the game began to take a nasty twist with a handful of yellow cards issued due to hard fouls, dissent, and some after-the-whistle unsporting behavior.
The referee on the near side of the park had little patience from the opening whistle. He booked Lucco, and later both Ribbens and his assistant.
Soto's Jimenez was called into action twice after Knap sent his header towards the frame. Just before that another free kick from Klimek went off Jimenez and one of his teammates, and nearly onto the foot of Knap at the near post.
Soto's senior captain Luis Lopez went over the bar with his well-executed half volley before Taft's Knap found the post, then Ilyas Boukrim rattled the woodwork with his free kick, all in a span of sixty seconds.
The game took a strange turn after Lopez was shown his second yellow, which resulted in an automatic red and ejection.
On his way to the Soto bench, Lopez gestured toward the official which was apparently deemed inappropriate enough to have that same official call the game for good in the 71st minute.
"That's a crazy ending we had today," began Lucco. "I know if I was the Soto coach, I'd be upset that we didn't play a full-time game."
"I feel bad for him because he seems like a good guy, who has his team coached well and dangerous. So that's a terrible way to end the game and their chances in the playoffs.
"For us, I am proud of the effort of our team today, and for the seniors who have played their final game here at Taft."
"They worked and trained hard in our program. And for many of them, they have enjoyed plenty of success on this field, which isn't very pretty, but it's still home to us."
Starting lineups
Soto (4-4-2 starting formation)
GK- Daniel Jimenez
D- Jose Romero
D- Javier Rodriguez
D- Luis Lopez
D- Francisco Chavez
M- Diego Lopez
M- Gerardo Gomez
M- Marvin Lopez
M- Jesus Gutierrez
F- Gabriel Pulicio
F- Deigo Leon
Taft (3-4-3)
GK- Pablo Rueda
D- Mateusz Kozlara
D- Marek Klimek
D- Byron Abayya
M- Alexis Sanchez
M- Ilyas Boukrim
M- Brandon Tovar
M- Sergio Diaz
M- Joshua Andreau
F- Melvin Zamora
F- Patrick Knap
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Marek Klimek, sr., D, Taft
Scoring Summary
Taft
Meneses (Sanchez) 29'
Sanchez (Bogusz) 36'
Klimek (FK) 46'
Victoria Soto
M. Lopez (U/A) 4'
G. Gomez (J. Martinez) 19'