Box Score Miami Gardens, FL – The Webber International Men's Soccer team followed up their last-minute thriller of a victory on Saturday afternoon with a quick trip down to matchup with the Florida Memorial Lions for the second time this season. The first matchup saw the Warriors taking a 3-1 victory on home turf, but this time they would have to go into the Lion's den to take the season series from their SUN Conference opponent. This match saw a high scoring battle with lead changes across the match, but two late second half goals would be the difference for the Lions, taking the match 4-3 against the Warriors.
The first half of action saw a fast paced, high scoring drama that took both squads the entirety of 45 minutes to see where each other stood going into halftime. The Lions would jump on the board first with an 8th minute opening goal from Carlos Montenegro. The Warriors would get right back in the game just minutes later with a penalty kick opportunity off a Lions foul inside the box. Lucianno Vera stepped up to the spot for the Warriors and delivered the equalizing goal to bring the score back level at 1-1 in the 13th minute. The scoring of the first half was just beginning, and the Lions would jump back in front in the 27th minute. Adam Gonzalez, assisted by Juan Rizo, found the back of the net for the Lions to give them the lead right back 2-1 halfway through the first half. The momentum would then begin to shift back towards the Warriors as the foul count started to pile up for the Lions. Thomas Bailey, would pick up his first yellow card for the Lions in the 37th minute, and four minutes later pick up his second yellow card with a foul inside the box, giving the Warriors their second penalty kick and taking the Lions down to 10 men for the remainder of the match. The Warriors sent Marco De Rosa to take the scoring chance from the spot and he would deliver, tying the match at 2-2 sending the game into halftime.
The Warriors would get the first real chance at goal to start the second half with a shot from Vera that would have found the back of net, but a defensive save from a Lions defender kept the game tied just minutes into the second half. Dylan Hawley would get a shot off at goal in the 55th minute, but it would be saved by Lions keeper Juan Mora. The next scoring chance would fall to the Lions feet and they would capitalize with their third goal of the match from Carlo Lopez, assisted by Frank Sanchez to put the Lions back in front 3-2 in the 63rd minute. The Lions, feeling their offensive attack firing on all cylinders, continued to add onto their lead with another goal in the 71st minute, this time from Sanchez to extend the Lions lead over the Warriors to 4-2. Feeling the game start to slip away from the Warriors, they would pull back within one in the 76th minute with David Gomez scoring and bringing his team right back in the match. The last scoring chance for the Warriors in the 83rd minute saw Charlie Dusquesnoy's shot saved off the line as the Lions defensive backs made another save to preserve their lead. The Lions hold onto to their second half lead and split the season series with the Warriors, taking the match 4-3 in Miami Gardens.
After the game, Head Coach Philip Maestas Bohn was stern his assessment.
"The boys took a while to get going in the first half but the final 20 min we found something and were quite dangerous. I think halftime might have saved them and allowed them to regroup. In the second half up a man we just made too many mistakes and lost focus which was extremely frustrating. After so much promise in the first half we should have expected significantly more in the second half. Unfortunately we just couldn't find the equalizer late.
The Warriors will play their fourth game in a week on Wednesday afternoon against the Florida National Conquistadors on the Warrior Grass Field in Babson Park, FL at 3:00 PM.
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