NPLS Playoffs Update 7/25/21
July 26, 2021
After 36 playoff matches whittled a field of 40 down to four, we have finally know the four clubs who are representing their regions in the National Premier Soccer League’s national semifinals. Drama and a relatively undramatic, yet significant, upset defined the region finals. Here is what happened:
On a hot night in Denton Texas (96° at kickoff), Los Angeles County based FC Golden State took a first-half lead against the hosts, Denton Diablos. Eduardo Faria (Porto Alegre, Brazil) scored his third goal of the playoffs in the fifth minute of the match then added another goal in the 44th. Just when one thought that the match was going to halftime at 0-2, Denton managed to put in a shot that Golden State’s goalkeeper failed to scoop up and James Doyle (Merseyside, England)was able to clean up and score his third goal in as many games***. Denton trailed for most of the second half until Trevor Amann (Midwestern State University, Westminster, CO), leveled the match in the 77th minute; having notched braces in both conference playoff matches, the goal was officially his fifth of the playoffs.
Denton did not waste time waiting to secure the match. Four minutes after the equalizer, 23 year-old defender Carlos Manriquez gave his squad the lead. Julian Barajas (Midwestern State University, Fort Worth, TX) tallied the insurance marker in the 87th minute. After losing to Lone Star Vaqueros in the 2019 Lone Star Conference semifinal, Denton advances advances to the national semifinals in its second season of NPSL play.
The upset of the region finals occurred in Minnesota as Cleveland SC defeated top seed Minneapolis City SC. In the 21st minute, Cleveland soccer veteran Admir Suljevic (Derventa, Bosnia-Herzegovina) scored his third goal of the playoffs to give the vistors the lead. Per Minneapolis’ game day Twitter account, the home side bounced two shots off the frame of goal in the first half, which ended with Cleveland having the one goal lead. In the second half, Minneapolis continued to have the better part of the opportunities, yet Corbin McAvinew (Canal Fulton, Ohio) scored for Cleveland in the 69th minute. Per Minneapolis’ account Cleveland had only two opportunities but two were all that were needed for two goals and Cleveland won the Midwest Region to advance to its second national semifinals in its third season of play (it lost to eventual champion Miami FC in 2019).
In the South Region finals, Tulsa Athletic took an early lead on Hattiesburg, Mississippi side Southern States Soccer Club via Munashe Raranje’s (Harare, Zimbabwe) put-away of a rebound in the eighth minute. The visitors were quick to respond as Samuel Dadzie (Sacramento, CA, previously with USL league 2 side Ventura County Fusion) scored an equalizing goal two minutes later. The match remained level at 1-1 through the balance of the first half and through the second half as well. Just when everyone thought Tulsa was headed to its second penalty session of the playoffs…
…Riolan Mello (Salvador, Brazil) scored in stoppage time for Tulsa. After falling two South Region finals (to eventual champion Miami FC in 2019 and to Chattanooga FC in 2014), Tulsa is in the national semifinals for the first time in its eighth season of NPSL play.
So, we’ve covered a team overcoming a two goal deficit, the top seed of the playoffs falling out, and a match decided at the death and we have yet to cover the most exciting match of the bunch! FC Baltimore Christos and FC Motown contested an epic East Region final. The home side entered the match knowing of Minneapolis’s loss, which meant that Baltimore could now grab home field advantage for the national semifinals and final.
Ben Stitz (University of Pennsylvania, Baltimore, MD), in the fifth minute, scored his second goal of the playoffs to give Baltimore an early lead. FC Motown gave Michael Zierhoffer (Arnold, MD, also of MASL side Baltimore Blast) plenty of work in the first half, yet Baltimore carried the lead into the break.
Federico de Oliveira (Kenilworth, N.J.) equalized the match in the 62nd minute. Jordan Travers (Clarksburg, MD) put the home side back in the lead five minutes later. Nearly 20 minutes passed before Eddy Enowbi (Silver Spring, Md) brought the match level yet again. David Harris (Waimanalo, Hawaii) put Baltimore back ahead in the 90th minute. But then, Orlando Neto (Cliffside Park, NJ, via Teixeira de Freitas, Brazil) scored his second of goal of the playoffs in stoppage time to bring the match level at three!
The match went to penalty kicks. Baltimore failed to convert its third, but Motown failed on its fourth. Baltimore then converted its fifth and a second failed attempt by Motown made FC Baltimore Christos the East Region champions. This will be their first national semifinal appearance in three seasons of play.
The national semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, July 31 (times have yet to been released). FC Baltimore Christos will host Tulsa Athletic and Denton Diablos will make the trip to Cleveland. The winners will advance to the August 7 championship match to be hosted by the higher remaining seed. The next post will be published on Friday.
***Denton’s account of the match credits the goal to Trevor Amann. However, the NPSL match report credits the goal to Doyle. It is the official policy of Eye of the Storm to follow the match report in such instances, when the editorial staff are unable to personally confirm that the match report is, in fact, in error.
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