Bejabeng delivers for Young
80th-minute goal gives Dolphins victory and coach 200th win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO—Maybe it was best that Rodney Bejabeng was not able to look up to see the precise time. It might have thrown him off.
Few things excite or put the pressure on like a clock nearing zeroes. A senior midfielder at Young, Bejabeng had only instinct and his own sense of time to work on.
With the official scoreboard off, the time was managed on the field. Not exactly a guessing game. Bejabeng knew time was fleeting.
“I did not know the exact time, but I knew we did not have a lot of time,” Bejabeng said.
Thirty seconds was the precise answer with all that remained between the Dolphins and Lake View in a scoreless game.
Bejabeng was the man of the hour in collecting a deflection off a free kick and blasting home a left-footed, 80th-minute goal into the lower right corner for the Dolphins’ 1-0 victory in Chicago Public Premier Division North play Wednesday at Lane.
The worst action was to try and play quick or fast, he said.
“At that moment, it was best to be calm,” Bejabeng said. “I cleared my head, took a good touch and put it in the bottom right corner.
“I finish most of my goals with my left foot.”
Bejabeng never lost his confidence.
“I think we had them the entire game,” he said. “I am not going to lie. We had possession, we had the most dangerous plays, the ball was in their half.
‘We were having trouble finishing until the last few seconds.”
The dramatic victory not only reversed a two-game division slide but secured the 200th of coach Ian McCarthy’s high school coaching career.
This is his 16th year at the West Loop school. He also coached at Hyde Park for three years, and he spent a year coaching the lower levels at St. Rita.
He also coached at the Southwest Blaze SC club program, now known as Southwest United.
Bejabeng earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction for his play. He was very happy to help McCarthy reach the milestone victory.
“It means a lot to me, to be honest, that we have helped him get to this point and being as successful as he has,” he said.
“It gives me a sense of pride.”
Young appeared cursed for much of the frantic final 20 minutes. The Dolphins had to recalibrate the lineups, moving normal forward Aidan Chapman into the back after defender Alex Espino suffered from a bout of dizziness.
Ian McCarthy did not want to expose Espino to having to play the ball off his head, and the coach’s son, all-everything midfielder Esme McCarthy, was out from complications of a fever.
“We made some adjustments and you just hope the guys understand the tactical part of the formation so that even if I am pulling them from one position to another they can still execute,” Ian McCarthy said.
“It took us a little while to get going, and we probably gave them a little too much.”
Lake View had the better run of play in the opening 15 minutes. The Wildcats’ midfielder Manuel Brito created an early corner kick.
Lake View has one truly dynamic and breathtaking talent in forward Godfried Appau. Quick and explosive, he threatened the Dolphins with his ability to get free in space and attack the final third.
“It felt good,” Appau said. “We fought really hard but their defense really pinched us and they closed out really well. We connected a lot of passes.
“I think overall, we played really well. That last part of the game really took a lot out of us.”
Chapman pushed up to an attacking position in the final 15 minutes as Young (7-3-0, 4-2-0) threw down the gauntlet to create scoring chances.
His ball from the top of the box hit off the near post. Midfielder Owen Anderson also had a half-volley just go wide of the mark.
Lake View, playing with a diminished roster due to injuries, was clearly exhausted by the end. The Wildcats allowed Young repeated forays inside the box.
“At that point we were looking to score and the time was winding down and this is a team we should beat, so we were just trying to get everybody up there,” Chapman said.
“They really just had that one forward [Godfried Appau], and our defense was pretty strong.”
The game itself was pretty dizzying, inevitable given the 90-degree temperatures and the teams hungry for a victory. Lake View (2-3-4, 0-1-2) played to draws in its first two division games.
“Without a doubt, we have a lot of kids playing with a lot of heart,” Lake View coach Bruno Edu said. “We were pretty much able to give everybody a lot of minutes today. The guys that didn’t get to play today is because they are nursing injuries, and they were not able to go back in.
“It’s misleading because there’s a nice breeze, but it is 92 degrees out here, and it takes its toll. We tried to help out, but it was a hot and physical game. Whitney Young is a big, strong team.”
Young took advantage of the Wildcats’ depleted roster. By the end, Lake View was gasping, leading to fouls and restarts. The game-winner originated off a free kick by Espino on the right wing from 40 yards out.
“That’s soccer,” Edu said. “You have to play it hard, which we did, and play it right to the end. It was a little bit unlucky. I am very proud of our guys. They played their hearts out right to the end of the game, conceding a goal in the last 30 seconds and that just kills.
“It’s a tough break.”
Young needed this kind of ending after enduring a physically and emotionally demanding stretch of two one-goal division losses to rival Lane and Jones.
“Mentally and physically these games have been tough,” Chapman said.
“I think it’s good for us. We can learn from them. I think the big losses early in the season really changed the mentality of the team. I think we hit that turning point and are ready to keep going.
“You saw in the second half today, we really moved the ball well. Now we just have to take the next step and keep moving forward.”
Ian McCarthy enjoyed the moment.
“I am proud of the boys,” he said. “This is very exciting, to get my 200th win and to do with my boy on the team and his friends that have been with at Young has been pretty special.”
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Daniel Moderhack
D: Alan Gaytan
D: Joshua Meyer
D: Aidan Chapman
D: Nate Dixon
MF: Owen Anderson
MF: Diego Delgado
MF: Rodney Bejabeng
MF: Elias Guzman
MF: Diego Nieto
F: Alex Espino
Lake View
GK: Carlos Aragon
D: Bryant Vidal
D: Jose De La Cruz
D: David Bollas
D: Nester Bandera
MF: Brayan Garcia
MF: Kevin Przebięda
MF: Johan Jacome
MF: Manuel Brito
F: Godfried Appau
F: Gabriel Badill
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Rodney Bejabeng, sr., MF, Young
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Young—Rodney Bejabeng (unassisted), 80th minute
80th-minute goal gives Dolphins victory and coach 200th win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO—Maybe it was best that Rodney Bejabeng was not able to look up to see the precise time. It might have thrown him off.
Few things excite or put the pressure on like a clock nearing zeroes. A senior midfielder at Young, Bejabeng had only instinct and his own sense of time to work on.
With the official scoreboard off, the time was managed on the field. Not exactly a guessing game. Bejabeng knew time was fleeting.
“I did not know the exact time, but I knew we did not have a lot of time,” Bejabeng said.
Thirty seconds was the precise answer with all that remained between the Dolphins and Lake View in a scoreless game.
Bejabeng was the man of the hour in collecting a deflection off a free kick and blasting home a left-footed, 80th-minute goal into the lower right corner for the Dolphins’ 1-0 victory in Chicago Public Premier Division North play Wednesday at Lane.
The worst action was to try and play quick or fast, he said.
“At that moment, it was best to be calm,” Bejabeng said. “I cleared my head, took a good touch and put it in the bottom right corner.
“I finish most of my goals with my left foot.”
Bejabeng never lost his confidence.
“I think we had them the entire game,” he said. “I am not going to lie. We had possession, we had the most dangerous plays, the ball was in their half.
‘We were having trouble finishing until the last few seconds.”
The dramatic victory not only reversed a two-game division slide but secured the 200th of coach Ian McCarthy’s high school coaching career.
This is his 16th year at the West Loop school. He also coached at Hyde Park for three years, and he spent a year coaching the lower levels at St. Rita.
He also coached at the Southwest Blaze SC club program, now known as Southwest United.
Bejabeng earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction for his play. He was very happy to help McCarthy reach the milestone victory.
“It means a lot to me, to be honest, that we have helped him get to this point and being as successful as he has,” he said.
“It gives me a sense of pride.”
Young appeared cursed for much of the frantic final 20 minutes. The Dolphins had to recalibrate the lineups, moving normal forward Aidan Chapman into the back after defender Alex Espino suffered from a bout of dizziness.
Ian McCarthy did not want to expose Espino to having to play the ball off his head, and the coach’s son, all-everything midfielder Esme McCarthy, was out from complications of a fever.
“We made some adjustments and you just hope the guys understand the tactical part of the formation so that even if I am pulling them from one position to another they can still execute,” Ian McCarthy said.
“It took us a little while to get going, and we probably gave them a little too much.”
Lake View had the better run of play in the opening 15 minutes. The Wildcats’ midfielder Manuel Brito created an early corner kick.
Lake View has one truly dynamic and breathtaking talent in forward Godfried Appau. Quick and explosive, he threatened the Dolphins with his ability to get free in space and attack the final third.
“It felt good,” Appau said. “We fought really hard but their defense really pinched us and they closed out really well. We connected a lot of passes.
“I think overall, we played really well. That last part of the game really took a lot out of us.”
Chapman pushed up to an attacking position in the final 15 minutes as Young (7-3-0, 4-2-0) threw down the gauntlet to create scoring chances.
His ball from the top of the box hit off the near post. Midfielder Owen Anderson also had a half-volley just go wide of the mark.
Lake View, playing with a diminished roster due to injuries, was clearly exhausted by the end. The Wildcats allowed Young repeated forays inside the box.
“At that point we were looking to score and the time was winding down and this is a team we should beat, so we were just trying to get everybody up there,” Chapman said.
“They really just had that one forward [Godfried Appau], and our defense was pretty strong.”
The game itself was pretty dizzying, inevitable given the 90-degree temperatures and the teams hungry for a victory. Lake View (2-3-4, 0-1-2) played to draws in its first two division games.
“Without a doubt, we have a lot of kids playing with a lot of heart,” Lake View coach Bruno Edu said. “We were pretty much able to give everybody a lot of minutes today. The guys that didn’t get to play today is because they are nursing injuries, and they were not able to go back in.
“It’s misleading because there’s a nice breeze, but it is 92 degrees out here, and it takes its toll. We tried to help out, but it was a hot and physical game. Whitney Young is a big, strong team.”
Young took advantage of the Wildcats’ depleted roster. By the end, Lake View was gasping, leading to fouls and restarts. The game-winner originated off a free kick by Espino on the right wing from 40 yards out.
“That’s soccer,” Edu said. “You have to play it hard, which we did, and play it right to the end. It was a little bit unlucky. I am very proud of our guys. They played their hearts out right to the end of the game, conceding a goal in the last 30 seconds and that just kills.
“It’s a tough break.”
Young needed this kind of ending after enduring a physically and emotionally demanding stretch of two one-goal division losses to rival Lane and Jones.
“Mentally and physically these games have been tough,” Chapman said.
“I think it’s good for us. We can learn from them. I think the big losses early in the season really changed the mentality of the team. I think we hit that turning point and are ready to keep going.
“You saw in the second half today, we really moved the ball well. Now we just have to take the next step and keep moving forward.”
Ian McCarthy enjoyed the moment.
“I am proud of the boys,” he said. “This is very exciting, to get my 200th win and to do with my boy on the team and his friends that have been with at Young has been pretty special.”
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Daniel Moderhack
D: Alan Gaytan
D: Joshua Meyer
D: Aidan Chapman
D: Nate Dixon
MF: Owen Anderson
MF: Diego Delgado
MF: Rodney Bejabeng
MF: Elias Guzman
MF: Diego Nieto
F: Alex Espino
Lake View
GK: Carlos Aragon
D: Bryant Vidal
D: Jose De La Cruz
D: David Bollas
D: Nester Bandera
MF: Brayan Garcia
MF: Kevin Przebięda
MF: Johan Jacome
MF: Manuel Brito
F: Godfried Appau
F: Gabriel Badill
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Rodney Bejabeng, sr., MF, Young
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Young—Rodney Bejabeng (unassisted), 80th minute