Photo by Elizabeth Shaw
Playoff Fever!!!
Have you caught “Playoff Fever”? If not before, by now you probably at least have the “Playoff Chills”. For a player like Tola Showunmi, who by all rights had been struggling significantly to find any sort of form, the storybook ending to this match was chill inducing. This has been a bumpy season for Lou City, but the bumpy ride continues at home next Saturday at 7pm. Maybe more Louisvillians will have caught Playoff Fever by then.
Lou City lined up as:
29-Schewe, 2-McFadden, 7-Serrano, 8-T Davila, 9-Donovan, 13-Dia, 15-Perez, 19-Niang, 27-E Davila, 31-Lambert, 32-Adams (C)
2nd Minute
Ray and Dia connect for a good move. Out for a corner.
3rd Minute
Adams has an extended conversation with the center referee.
5th Minute
A deft flick from Daliva the Younger sends Perez in, but his attempt is blocked out for a corner.
8th Minute
City is undersized on their left-hand attacking side. They will have to try to use their speed and technical ability.
17th Minute
Niang picks up an early yellow card.
26th Minute
The match has settled into a cagey affair after City's good start.
32nd Minute
Perez fires in a half-shot, half-cross that doesn't fool the Pittsburgh keeper.
35th Minute
Serrano passes on a shot and sends it wide to Dia who drags his shot well wide.
36th Minute
Schewe has to dive on one to recover from a loose touch from Lambert.
39th Minute
Niang makes a classy run but can't finish the move.
45th Minute
Perez sends in a cross and Donovan's header hits the crossbar.
Halftime
Lou City 0 - Pittsburgh 0
Lou City starts on the front foot, but the match settled into a cautious tempo as the half approached. Both teams will be content to start the second half even.
46th Minute
Niang is replaced by Duncan, whose first action is to dive in the box.
49th Minute
Davila the Younger drags a shot wide.
53rd Minute
"The referee's a wanker."
54th Minute
Schewe makes a good save bailing out Adams who got caught in possession.
56th Minute
The center referee is brave enough to call a foul at midfield and not anywhere else.
61st Minute
There looks like there is a handball in the box but the ref waves it off.
62nd Minute
Dia sends in a dangerous cross that can't quite find anyone.
63rd Minute
Dia goes down in the box, but the ref waves it off again.
67th Minute
Davila the Elder has a shot from distance that is handled easily.
73rd Minute
Pittsburgh is having its first extended foothold of possession in the 2nd half.
76th Minute
Davila the Younger fires one right at the keeper.
79th Minute
Yellow for Adams.
Wilson on for Davila the Younger.
85th Minute
Serrano can't quite get on the end of a dangerous ball.
89th Minute
McFadden gets a card for calling out the ref on his bullshit.
Full Time
Lou City 0 - Pittsburgh 0
Nerve-wracking free soccer coming up!
91st Minute
Dayes in for Manny.
92nd Minute
Wilson's shot is saved. Golden opportunity there. Donovan wins a corner.
97th Minute
McFadden wins a free kick.
99th Minute
Same again.
Tola on for Donovan.
101st Minute
Duncan wins a free kick at the top of the box.
105th Minute
Serrano's shot is right at the keeper
Extra Time First Period Stoppage
GOAL! Tola! Did he ever need that. Assist to the gutless referee for not calling anything. Actual assist to Dia.
Lou City 1 - Pittsburgh 0
112th Minute
Tola holds off a couple of defenders and wins a corner to loud cheers.
117th Minute
City is keeping Pittsburgh penned in.
120+2
Pittsburgh gets a half chance, but it sails over the bar.
After Extra Time
Lou City 1 - Pittsburgh 0
Part of me says that the Riverhounds can have all kinds of complaints about the Lou City goal. The other part says that the center referee had clearly indicated all evening that he expected players to be strong in the box and not go down easily. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. At least it didn’t have to go to penalties, and I think any objective observer would say the better team prevailed. We are all better for having Pittsburgh brand of non-football eliminated from the playoffs as soon as humanly possible.
After the match, everyone was excited. Coach Bird said that there are things that still need fixing, but I think you keep playoff clean sheets and good things happen. Tola, at least on the outside, is a steady character and he was pleased to score even if it didn’t come across as relief. I hope this is the start of an effective run of minutes for him. “Unc” Dia turned back the clock and put in a really good performance and was probably the true Man of the Match.
Player Ratings:
Schewe-8; McFadden-8, Lambert-7; Adams-7; Perez-7; Dia-9; Niang-7; T Davila-8; E Davila-7; Serrano-7; Donovan-7; Duncan-7; Showunmi-8
