HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Crusaders punched their ticket to the SSAC Tournament semi-final as they knock off Faulkner 2-1 at Danny Owens Field.
With a place in the semi-final of the SSAC Tournament at stake, both teams came out fired up and ready for a fight. The first half was a physical affair with both teams jostling for an advantage.
Carey were the first team to threaten, as they had a penalty appeal turned down. Caoimhin McConnell swung a free kick from deep on the right-hand side. The free kick was put into a sea of bodies and looked like it had hit an Eagle hand. The Crusaders claims for a penalty were waived away by the referee.
Faulkner put themselves in the driving seat early on as they put themselves on the scoreboard in the 10th minute. Jose Riofrio found himself in space on the right hand side, got his head up, and whipped an out-swinging cross high across the six-yard box. The cross found Caden Maldonado free at the back post who headed in to put the Eagles ahead.
Carey almost equalized immediately. A cross from the right-hand side found the run of Kolby Godbolt at the front post whose deft flick scraped the bottom of the post.
The first half and the Crusaders found their turning point as Faulkner were reduced to 10 men. Julio Cesar with some neat hold up play, managed to turn his defender and drive inside. Cesar's big touch forced him to lunge for the ball and lunge two footed into the feet of Leo Toro. The referee, who originally had his yellow card in his hand, consulted with his assistant referee, and changed the yellow card to a red. Cesar was forced to exit the game and forced the Eagles to play the remainder of the game with 10 men.
Not long after the dismissal and the Crusaders were level. Roberto Rangel crossed the ball from the left-hand side. That cross found the feet of Billy Boag at the front post, who took a touch, and flicked past Andre Ferreira in the Faulkner net.
The Crusaders controlled the remainder of the half as they held the one-man advantage. They tested Ferreira a few times, coming closest through Rangel. Two identical chances as crosses from the right hand found Rangel at the back post. Rangel took a touch and fired straight at Ferreira both times. Faulkner always looked dangerous on the counterattack but were unable to test Hampshaw.
Faulkner, playing with 10 men, played more cautiously the second half. The Eagles had to make sure they did not lose the game early whilst going in search of an equalizer. Despite the cautious play, the Eagles had the first chance of the half. Faulkner won a corner in the 52nd minute. Freire whipped the corner in and fell to the feet of Maldonado. Maldonado took a touch and acrobatically got his shot off but hit it straight at the Carey defender.
Carey began to take control of the game and make use of their man advantage. In the 64th minute the Crusaders turned their man advantage into the advantage on the scoreboard. Alessandro Villarreal crossed the ball from the left-hand side to the back of the six-yard. His cross found an unmarked Boag who stooped for a diving header to put the Crusaders up for good.
The Crusaders controlled the remainder of the game, keeping possession and looking to add a third if possible. Carey played cautiously for the last 20 minutes, aware of Faulkner's threat on the counterattack, not pushing too many men forward and staying strong defensively. With the man advantage, and now the score advantage, WCU knew if they shut up shop at the back, they'd be able to see the result out.
The Eagles waited for the final five minutes to make a last push for an equalizer. A long ball into the box found the head of Orlando Lorduy. Lorduy nodded the ball down, half looking for the goal, half looking for his teammate running in, but only found the grateful hands of Henry Hampshaw. The Crusaders saw out the final minutes of the game and held onto the 2-1 win.
The Crusaders now progress to the SSAC Tournament semi-final. They play on November 7th at 7 PM. They will play the winner of Dalton State & Thomas.
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