AFC Ann Arbor played in what can only be described as an footballing epic. It will go down as a loss (3-3 at the end of extra time, 4-3 defeat in penalty kicks), but it will go down in the book as one of the times Ann Arbor has showed true resilience and fought back from a serious defeat. They have made their fans proud. Tonight was no exception.
What Happened:
Action was frenetic throughout the first half, but started out a bit controlled. The first breakthrough was via a corner kick by Duluth in just the 13th minute, with Tom Corcoran delivering to Ryan Tyrer, who is lethal for Duluth on set pieces. AFC fought right back, however, dominating possession until the Kenyan Connection of a Stanley Okumu cross in to Chris Odhiambo's head leveled the match at one a piece in the 23rd minute. As if things were not crazy enough, the BlueGreens took the ensuing kick, Joe Watt sent in what was a supposed testing cross, but it found an odd enough deflection to get past Nick Barry and stun the AFC crowd into silence. Things were level for not even a minute. Duluth got their goal right back. AFC responded again with controlled possession and more corner kicks, but it was Duluth again finding the net. Breno Stapcinskas, who got the start at right-back, gave the ball away as he tried a back pass to Barry, which caught the AFC keeper out of his net. Okumu cleared the first shot off the line from Brooks Rice, but Kyle Farrar followed up and finished to make it 3-1 after just 40 minutes.
Things seemed rough for the Mighty Oak, it's true. But this time, it was their turn to respond within minutes as Alec Lasinski delivered a magnificent deadball into the box where Jack Cawley headed home. We entered the half after a manic 45 minutes and a wild 3-2 game. As the second half started, it was Duluth sitting back inviting AFC to break them down. Serge Gamwanya had a pair of great shots, but were saved by keeper Jan Hoffelner who was outstanding tonight. Then came the post hits. First, it was Cawley as he made a run, hit it with his left, then hit the inside of the post. Next was Michael Shaikly who, off the half-volley, had a sweet strike off the top of the post. Finally it was AFC's best chance of the second half. First, a sweet strike from Lasinski was met with a diving save. Then, off the corner, a Cawley head was saved. Finally, Cawley's follow-up was somehow saved by Hoffelner with one hand off the post. It seemed as if the football gods were only permitting 90 minutes of play for AFC tonight. But then, it was another late goal in what is now being known as 'Rudland Time'. Kyle Breitmeyer served up a long throw, Cawley moved it along with his head, and AZ Liadi, who came on as a sub, drilled it home for the equalizing effort sending the crowd into hysterics. To extra time we would go!
Of course, the 90+ minute equalizer was sweet. But the final result was rather bitter. AFC had the best of any chances around the 102nd minute or so from a second ball falling to Matthieu Braem, but Hoffelner covered his near post brilliantly to avoid a goal being conceded. Duluth continued to commit numbers in defense and there were a handful of chances, nothing compared to the skirmish breaking out after back-up keeper/penalty shootout specialist Alberto Ciroi went down theatrically seconds after Chris Odhiambo had gone past him. It was a bid to hold off the final seconds to get to the shootout, and it worked. AFC fell behind 3-2, but Barry made a save to inspire hope. Breitmeyer leveled it at three getting some help from the post. Ultimately, however, Liam Moore of Duluth was able to play the hero and score the game-winning penalty sending them to the NPSL National Semi-Finals, and leaving heartbreak in their wake in Ann Arbor.
How Did This Happen:
This game is, quite frankly, very difficult to fully articulate and break down. One thing that was easy to comprehend, however, is just how key set pieces were. Duluth's first goal was on a corner kick, yes, but all three of AFC's goals came off of (or immediately in the wake of) a dead-ball: the first, a second effort cross off a corner, the second off a dead-ball delivery from Lasinski, the third from a long throw. When talking about Duluth, set pieces were instrumental in their season and their defending of them was stellar. However, Duluth committed a vast amount of fouls in dangerous range. When you commit 10-15 fouls on live ball situations, tack on another 8-10 corners, and then factor in a good handful of long throws, you're looking at a ton of opportunities for your opponent to snag a goal off your set piece defense, no matter how good it is. The Mighty Oak were able to take advantage of it on this evening and at least crack a code that seemed very few could.
How, exactly, does AFC give up over 40% of their NPSL goals in one game? Each goal allowed was a bit different. The first was tough to swallow, a gut punch on a corner kick headed home by one of the region's most dangerous set piece threats in Ryan Tyrer. That is straight-forward. The second two? Not so much. The second was just bad luck, not much more than that. Jack Cawley got the slightest of deflections on the ball but Nick Barry was certainly not expecting this and was rooted to his original spot. That sort of goal really is tough to swallow. Sometimes it's worse when no one's at fault for a goal. The third goal was a bit of breakdown in communication. Perhaps Breno thought Barry would be out farther. Likewise, perhaps Barry thought the ball would just be cleared. In any event, Duluth was able to tack on a third as a result. No one is going to be happy at any of the three goals, but usually breakdowns in communication are ones that are just frustrating to watch. In any event, it is a credit to Ann Arbor that after three goals in the first half, all three of them certainly forcing AFC fans to put their hands over their mouths in shock, they were able to rebound and even force extra time.
I would not be able to fully recap this match without mentioning the players themselves. Stephen Turnbull came on as a second half substitute and, with fresher legs than most, turned in a brilliant shift of both a defensive clinic as well as a showcase of skill. He was my personal AFC MotM, but also this was another stellar defensive performance all around as Jack Cawley was rewarded with another goal for his troubles. Another man who performed brilliantly in a more defensive role was Caio, who does a ton of things that likely would go unnoticed by just looking at who scored. He won multiple tackles in the midfield, moved possession well, and remained an everpresent force attempting to link up the midfield and attack. Speaking of attack, how about an attacker in defense? Kyle Breitmeyer spent his time on the pitch at mostly right-back, but for a brief spell at left-back. The club legend was up to task and only took a couple of minutes to get comfortable as the sub proved to be brilliant from manager Eric Rudland in getting another attacker on the pitch, but also being conscious of Duluth committing to defending and taking advantage. It was Breitmeyer's long throw that resulted in the third goal and he finished the season with a key performance.
Final Thoughts (and What's Next):
It's really tough to give a final thoughts for this game. Obviously there is disappointment in the result, but zero disappointment whatsoever in the team. Every single player in blue and white (and in light blue one time) fought hard this season, fought tough, fought for each other, and fought for the club. When they stepped on the pitch, they would leave it all on the grass (or, more often than not, turf) and the fans always showed their appreciation. I will leave the majority of my thoughts for a more comprehensive season wrap-up, but for now, sometimes it's okay to feel upset in a result. "All good things must come to an end...." is how the old cliche goes. But I prefer an add-on to the quote, "...in order for better things to happen." There are great things on the horizon. This is just the end to one chapter. There is still much more book remaining.
On a more personal level, I want to thank the entire AFC Ann Arbor family for a brilliant season, but I could not have done so much of my coverage this season without the backing of chairman Bilal Saeed and the support of not just coach Eric Rudland, but the entire Rudland family, including Sarah and Ron. I never, ever, imagined that this would garner the traction it has, but I am fortunate it did and thank everyone who has read any one of these recaps or any other article. Thanks also to every single player for the great season. I'm not done covering AFC this season, I intend at LEAST another one or two things for the season and can guarantee a more comprehensive season recap that I am formulating an idea for. Please follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan to stay in the loop of my coverage of sports, I promise I'll have some good stuff on the horizon!
What Happened:
Action was frenetic throughout the first half, but started out a bit controlled. The first breakthrough was via a corner kick by Duluth in just the 13th minute, with Tom Corcoran delivering to Ryan Tyrer, who is lethal for Duluth on set pieces. AFC fought right back, however, dominating possession until the Kenyan Connection of a Stanley Okumu cross in to Chris Odhiambo's head leveled the match at one a piece in the 23rd minute. As if things were not crazy enough, the BlueGreens took the ensuing kick, Joe Watt sent in what was a supposed testing cross, but it found an odd enough deflection to get past Nick Barry and stun the AFC crowd into silence. Things were level for not even a minute. Duluth got their goal right back. AFC responded again with controlled possession and more corner kicks, but it was Duluth again finding the net. Breno Stapcinskas, who got the start at right-back, gave the ball away as he tried a back pass to Barry, which caught the AFC keeper out of his net. Okumu cleared the first shot off the line from Brooks Rice, but Kyle Farrar followed up and finished to make it 3-1 after just 40 minutes.
Things seemed rough for the Mighty Oak, it's true. But this time, it was their turn to respond within minutes as Alec Lasinski delivered a magnificent deadball into the box where Jack Cawley headed home. We entered the half after a manic 45 minutes and a wild 3-2 game. As the second half started, it was Duluth sitting back inviting AFC to break them down. Serge Gamwanya had a pair of great shots, but were saved by keeper Jan Hoffelner who was outstanding tonight. Then came the post hits. First, it was Cawley as he made a run, hit it with his left, then hit the inside of the post. Next was Michael Shaikly who, off the half-volley, had a sweet strike off the top of the post. Finally it was AFC's best chance of the second half. First, a sweet strike from Lasinski was met with a diving save. Then, off the corner, a Cawley head was saved. Finally, Cawley's follow-up was somehow saved by Hoffelner with one hand off the post. It seemed as if the football gods were only permitting 90 minutes of play for AFC tonight. But then, it was another late goal in what is now being known as 'Rudland Time'. Kyle Breitmeyer served up a long throw, Cawley moved it along with his head, and AZ Liadi, who came on as a sub, drilled it home for the equalizing effort sending the crowd into hysterics. To extra time we would go!
Of course, the 90+ minute equalizer was sweet. But the final result was rather bitter. AFC had the best of any chances around the 102nd minute or so from a second ball falling to Matthieu Braem, but Hoffelner covered his near post brilliantly to avoid a goal being conceded. Duluth continued to commit numbers in defense and there were a handful of chances, nothing compared to the skirmish breaking out after back-up keeper/penalty shootout specialist Alberto Ciroi went down theatrically seconds after Chris Odhiambo had gone past him. It was a bid to hold off the final seconds to get to the shootout, and it worked. AFC fell behind 3-2, but Barry made a save to inspire hope. Breitmeyer leveled it at three getting some help from the post. Ultimately, however, Liam Moore of Duluth was able to play the hero and score the game-winning penalty sending them to the NPSL National Semi-Finals, and leaving heartbreak in their wake in Ann Arbor.
How Did This Happen:
This game is, quite frankly, very difficult to fully articulate and break down. One thing that was easy to comprehend, however, is just how key set pieces were. Duluth's first goal was on a corner kick, yes, but all three of AFC's goals came off of (or immediately in the wake of) a dead-ball: the first, a second effort cross off a corner, the second off a dead-ball delivery from Lasinski, the third from a long throw. When talking about Duluth, set pieces were instrumental in their season and their defending of them was stellar. However, Duluth committed a vast amount of fouls in dangerous range. When you commit 10-15 fouls on live ball situations, tack on another 8-10 corners, and then factor in a good handful of long throws, you're looking at a ton of opportunities for your opponent to snag a goal off your set piece defense, no matter how good it is. The Mighty Oak were able to take advantage of it on this evening and at least crack a code that seemed very few could.
How, exactly, does AFC give up over 40% of their NPSL goals in one game? Each goal allowed was a bit different. The first was tough to swallow, a gut punch on a corner kick headed home by one of the region's most dangerous set piece threats in Ryan Tyrer. That is straight-forward. The second two? Not so much. The second was just bad luck, not much more than that. Jack Cawley got the slightest of deflections on the ball but Nick Barry was certainly not expecting this and was rooted to his original spot. That sort of goal really is tough to swallow. Sometimes it's worse when no one's at fault for a goal. The third goal was a bit of breakdown in communication. Perhaps Breno thought Barry would be out farther. Likewise, perhaps Barry thought the ball would just be cleared. In any event, Duluth was able to tack on a third as a result. No one is going to be happy at any of the three goals, but usually breakdowns in communication are ones that are just frustrating to watch. In any event, it is a credit to Ann Arbor that after three goals in the first half, all three of them certainly forcing AFC fans to put their hands over their mouths in shock, they were able to rebound and even force extra time.
I would not be able to fully recap this match without mentioning the players themselves. Stephen Turnbull came on as a second half substitute and, with fresher legs than most, turned in a brilliant shift of both a defensive clinic as well as a showcase of skill. He was my personal AFC MotM, but also this was another stellar defensive performance all around as Jack Cawley was rewarded with another goal for his troubles. Another man who performed brilliantly in a more defensive role was Caio, who does a ton of things that likely would go unnoticed by just looking at who scored. He won multiple tackles in the midfield, moved possession well, and remained an everpresent force attempting to link up the midfield and attack. Speaking of attack, how about an attacker in defense? Kyle Breitmeyer spent his time on the pitch at mostly right-back, but for a brief spell at left-back. The club legend was up to task and only took a couple of minutes to get comfortable as the sub proved to be brilliant from manager Eric Rudland in getting another attacker on the pitch, but also being conscious of Duluth committing to defending and taking advantage. It was Breitmeyer's long throw that resulted in the third goal and he finished the season with a key performance.
Final Thoughts (and What's Next):
It's really tough to give a final thoughts for this game. Obviously there is disappointment in the result, but zero disappointment whatsoever in the team. Every single player in blue and white (and in light blue one time) fought hard this season, fought tough, fought for each other, and fought for the club. When they stepped on the pitch, they would leave it all on the grass (or, more often than not, turf) and the fans always showed their appreciation. I will leave the majority of my thoughts for a more comprehensive season wrap-up, but for now, sometimes it's okay to feel upset in a result. "All good things must come to an end...." is how the old cliche goes. But I prefer an add-on to the quote, "...in order for better things to happen." There are great things on the horizon. This is just the end to one chapter. There is still much more book remaining.
On a more personal level, I want to thank the entire AFC Ann Arbor family for a brilliant season, but I could not have done so much of my coverage this season without the backing of chairman Bilal Saeed and the support of not just coach Eric Rudland, but the entire Rudland family, including Sarah and Ron. I never, ever, imagined that this would garner the traction it has, but I am fortunate it did and thank everyone who has read any one of these recaps or any other article. Thanks also to every single player for the great season. I'm not done covering AFC this season, I intend at LEAST another one or two things for the season and can guarantee a more comprehensive season recap that I am formulating an idea for. Please follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan to stay in the loop of my coverage of sports, I promise I'll have some good stuff on the horizon!
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