10-minute burst propels South
past North, takes Wheaton Cup
Husseini hat-trick, Khayal save spur Tigers’ victory
By Patrick Z. McGavin
WHEATON — Imagine all the possibilities in 10 minutes of game time.
Time and space are never quite so linear in soccer. The cause and effect is clear. One momentum shift changes virtually every subsequent action.
A momentous save by Wheaton Warrenville South keeper Ramsey Khayal in the 16th minute against Wheaton North altered the calculus.
“All the time at the end of a practice, I grab a buddy and practice penalty kicks,” Khayal said. “You never know when you are going to have to save them.
“They got off to a quick start with getting fouled in our box. I made a save and the outcome of the game changed.”
The switch translated to an Eric Vargas PK conversion on the other end that sparked a convulsive swing as the Tigers scored an impressive four goals in 10 minutes.
That explosion bridged the end of the first half and the start of the second half.
Khayal altered the beginning and sophomore forward Issa Husseini contributed three goals in the Tigers’ 5-2 victory in DuKane Conference play Thursday night.
The dynamic sophomore scored all of his goals in the second half, providing the significant margin of victory.
The teams split the season series 1-1. The Tigers (4-7-2, 3-7-2) walked off with the coveted Wheaton Cup on the basis of superior goal-differential.
The Falcons defeated Wheaton Warrenville South 4-2 on March 22.
Wheaton North coach Rob Stassen suggested to his counterpart, Tigers’ coach Guy Callipari, about using the two-game aggregate given the unprecedented double round-robin league schedule.
Had the Tigers won by two goals, the teams were set to stage a penalty shootout to determine the Cup winner.
The art and heartbreak of the penalty kick loomed large.
“When we converted our penalty, it just changed the game,” Tigers’ forward Jason Weisheit said. “It seemed like we had the momentum.”
Wheaton North (4-4-3, 4-4-3) had the superior play by the 20-minute mark. The Falcons pushed numbers forward.
Midfielder Erik Rozanski played as if propelled by a jet stream. He put repeated pressure on the Tigers back.
In the 16th minute, midfielder Graham Stephenson intercepted an attempted clearance and slotted it toward the streaking Rozanski.
He was pushed from the back and awarded the penalty kick. Khayal made the quick lunge to his left and smothered the shot by Rozanski.
“I think the belief started when Ramsey made that save,” Callipari said. “It felt like maybe this is our night. We made a mistake, but we’re still in it.
“Now we just have to play to our personality and who we are.”
Stassen saw the inevitable response from his players.
“When you’re 20 minutes in and you’re all over them and you miss a penalty, or a couple of other open opportunities, you get deflated,” Stassen said.
“You lose a little bit of confidence.”
Wheaton North was also unlucky. They tried to get through the balance of the first half unscathed. A wind blown shot by Logan Hary took a funky bounce that handcuffed Falcons’ keeper Sam Wakeman.
Tigers’ midfielder Gael Alfara was there for the putback, putting the Tigers up 2-0 at the break.
“We had the penalty, and then we had the mistake,” Stassen said. “Two little mistakes, and they capitalized.”
Husseini was the dominant story of the second half. He appeared like a gazelle with his long stride and powerful quickness. He materialized as if out of the air.
He scored two goals, from the nearly identical location of the right wing in the first three minutes of the second half.
“It just felt amazing,” he said. “Coach told us before the game we had to win by three goals, and I was just trying my hardest to score out there.”
He surpassed his season total (two) in the first 22 minutes of the second half.
“After the first goal, it just went right to my adrenaline,” Husseini said. “It pumped me up, and it made me want to go out even harder.”
Wheaton North midfielder Gyan Patel showcased his lethal touch in the second half as the Falcons initiated a sharp rally of their own.
He blasted a ball from the left wing from about 22 yards in the 49th minute that broke the Tigers’ 4-0 run.
Husseini followed with his final score in the 62nd minute.
Patel responded with his second goal in the 64th. Then the Tigers held firm.
For their dual roles in the Tigers’ victory, Ramsey Khayal and Issa Husseini shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor.
Stassen was also upset after an apparent goal off a header inside the box that clearly crossed the line was waved off.
“It’s high school soccer,” Stassen said. “They brought their right winger (Husseini) on, and he played a phenomenal game.
“Not the best game from us, and a good game from them.”
Like all coaches, Stassen has had to deal with myriad issues on and off the field this season. It is unrealistic to expect to disassociate the two.
“Our season started well and then it got rough,” Stassen said. “Everybody hit that COVID-19 fatigue and frustration. I am trying to manage these guys as much as possible.
“We had a couple of ties we should have won. We were down tonight 5-1, 5-2, and the kids could have gotten frustrated, and they didn’t.
“Despite the score line and the external frustrations, they played their hearts out.”
The game offered a measure of how far the Tigers have advanced since the earlier game. A stunning upset of previously unbeaten St. Charles East changed the balance of the season.
“We’re a little Dr. Jekyll and Hyde,” Callipari said. “We will play big, and we can score when we play to our potential. Then there are days we play a game that doesn’t represent us that well.
“I said at halftime I thought North might maintain the possession. I said just sit in and let the game come to you. Let the ball do the work for them, and then let's be us. Let’s be more direct in our style of play.”
Starting lineups
Wheaton North
GK: Sam Wakeman
D: Kyle Shauer
D: J.J. Lee
D: Tim Dulzer
D: Noah Froebe
D: Tristan Mackay
MF: Caleb Hodel
MF: Erik Rozanski
MF: Graham Stephenson
MF: Gyan Patel
F: Jarrett Baumgartner
Wheaton Warrenville South
GK: Ramsey Khayal
D: Jackson Moran
D: Andrew Murman
D: Ben Webber
MF: Gabe Waszak
MF: Chase Kedzior
MF: Kevin Stumbris
MF: Gael Alfara
MF: Eric Vargas
F: Jason Weishheit
F: Issa Husseini
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Ramsey Khayal, sr.,GK, WWS;
Issa Husseini, soph., F, WWS
Scoring summary
First half
WWS—Eric Vargas (penalty kick), 36th minute
WWS—Gael Alfara (Logan Hary, 39th minute
Second half
WWS—Issa Husseini (Jason Weisheit), 41st minute
WWS—Husseini (Chase Kedzior), 43rd
Wheaton North—Gyan Patel (unassisted), 49th minute
WWS—Husseini (Andrew Murman), 62nd minute
Wheaton North—Patel (Jarrett Baumgartner), 64th minute
past North, takes Wheaton Cup
Husseini hat-trick, Khayal save spur Tigers’ victory
By Patrick Z. McGavin
WHEATON — Imagine all the possibilities in 10 minutes of game time.
Time and space are never quite so linear in soccer. The cause and effect is clear. One momentum shift changes virtually every subsequent action.
A momentous save by Wheaton Warrenville South keeper Ramsey Khayal in the 16th minute against Wheaton North altered the calculus.
“All the time at the end of a practice, I grab a buddy and practice penalty kicks,” Khayal said. “You never know when you are going to have to save them.
“They got off to a quick start with getting fouled in our box. I made a save and the outcome of the game changed.”
The switch translated to an Eric Vargas PK conversion on the other end that sparked a convulsive swing as the Tigers scored an impressive four goals in 10 minutes.
That explosion bridged the end of the first half and the start of the second half.
Khayal altered the beginning and sophomore forward Issa Husseini contributed three goals in the Tigers’ 5-2 victory in DuKane Conference play Thursday night.
The dynamic sophomore scored all of his goals in the second half, providing the significant margin of victory.
The teams split the season series 1-1. The Tigers (4-7-2, 3-7-2) walked off with the coveted Wheaton Cup on the basis of superior goal-differential.
The Falcons defeated Wheaton Warrenville South 4-2 on March 22.
Wheaton North coach Rob Stassen suggested to his counterpart, Tigers’ coach Guy Callipari, about using the two-game aggregate given the unprecedented double round-robin league schedule.
Had the Tigers won by two goals, the teams were set to stage a penalty shootout to determine the Cup winner.
The art and heartbreak of the penalty kick loomed large.
“When we converted our penalty, it just changed the game,” Tigers’ forward Jason Weisheit said. “It seemed like we had the momentum.”
Wheaton North (4-4-3, 4-4-3) had the superior play by the 20-minute mark. The Falcons pushed numbers forward.
Midfielder Erik Rozanski played as if propelled by a jet stream. He put repeated pressure on the Tigers back.
In the 16th minute, midfielder Graham Stephenson intercepted an attempted clearance and slotted it toward the streaking Rozanski.
He was pushed from the back and awarded the penalty kick. Khayal made the quick lunge to his left and smothered the shot by Rozanski.
“I think the belief started when Ramsey made that save,” Callipari said. “It felt like maybe this is our night. We made a mistake, but we’re still in it.
“Now we just have to play to our personality and who we are.”
Stassen saw the inevitable response from his players.
“When you’re 20 minutes in and you’re all over them and you miss a penalty, or a couple of other open opportunities, you get deflated,” Stassen said.
“You lose a little bit of confidence.”
Wheaton North was also unlucky. They tried to get through the balance of the first half unscathed. A wind blown shot by Logan Hary took a funky bounce that handcuffed Falcons’ keeper Sam Wakeman.
Tigers’ midfielder Gael Alfara was there for the putback, putting the Tigers up 2-0 at the break.
“We had the penalty, and then we had the mistake,” Stassen said. “Two little mistakes, and they capitalized.”
Husseini was the dominant story of the second half. He appeared like a gazelle with his long stride and powerful quickness. He materialized as if out of the air.
He scored two goals, from the nearly identical location of the right wing in the first three minutes of the second half.
“It just felt amazing,” he said. “Coach told us before the game we had to win by three goals, and I was just trying my hardest to score out there.”
He surpassed his season total (two) in the first 22 minutes of the second half.
“After the first goal, it just went right to my adrenaline,” Husseini said. “It pumped me up, and it made me want to go out even harder.”
Wheaton North midfielder Gyan Patel showcased his lethal touch in the second half as the Falcons initiated a sharp rally of their own.
He blasted a ball from the left wing from about 22 yards in the 49th minute that broke the Tigers’ 4-0 run.
Husseini followed with his final score in the 62nd minute.
Patel responded with his second goal in the 64th. Then the Tigers held firm.
For their dual roles in the Tigers’ victory, Ramsey Khayal and Issa Husseini shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor.
Stassen was also upset after an apparent goal off a header inside the box that clearly crossed the line was waved off.
“It’s high school soccer,” Stassen said. “They brought their right winger (Husseini) on, and he played a phenomenal game.
“Not the best game from us, and a good game from them.”
Like all coaches, Stassen has had to deal with myriad issues on and off the field this season. It is unrealistic to expect to disassociate the two.
“Our season started well and then it got rough,” Stassen said. “Everybody hit that COVID-19 fatigue and frustration. I am trying to manage these guys as much as possible.
“We had a couple of ties we should have won. We were down tonight 5-1, 5-2, and the kids could have gotten frustrated, and they didn’t.
“Despite the score line and the external frustrations, they played their hearts out.”
The game offered a measure of how far the Tigers have advanced since the earlier game. A stunning upset of previously unbeaten St. Charles East changed the balance of the season.
“We’re a little Dr. Jekyll and Hyde,” Callipari said. “We will play big, and we can score when we play to our potential. Then there are days we play a game that doesn’t represent us that well.
“I said at halftime I thought North might maintain the possession. I said just sit in and let the game come to you. Let the ball do the work for them, and then let's be us. Let’s be more direct in our style of play.”
Starting lineups
Wheaton North
GK: Sam Wakeman
D: Kyle Shauer
D: J.J. Lee
D: Tim Dulzer
D: Noah Froebe
D: Tristan Mackay
MF: Caleb Hodel
MF: Erik Rozanski
MF: Graham Stephenson
MF: Gyan Patel
F: Jarrett Baumgartner
Wheaton Warrenville South
GK: Ramsey Khayal
D: Jackson Moran
D: Andrew Murman
D: Ben Webber
MF: Gabe Waszak
MF: Chase Kedzior
MF: Kevin Stumbris
MF: Gael Alfara
MF: Eric Vargas
F: Jason Weishheit
F: Issa Husseini
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Ramsey Khayal, sr.,GK, WWS;
Issa Husseini, soph., F, WWS
Scoring summary
First half
WWS—Eric Vargas (penalty kick), 36th minute
WWS—Gael Alfara (Logan Hary, 39th minute
Second half
WWS—Issa Husseini (Jason Weisheit), 41st minute
WWS—Husseini (Chase Kedzior), 43rd
Wheaton North—Gyan Patel (unassisted), 49th minute
WWS—Husseini (Andrew Murman), 62nd minute
Wheaton North—Patel (Jarrett Baumgartner), 64th minute