Fremd takes Celtic Cup

Fremd opened its defense of the Mid-Suburban League boys soccer crown with an impressive 2-0 victory Tuesday night before a huge Celtic Cup crowd against crosstown rival Palatine.

The defending champs received goals on both sides of the half, the first capping a superb quarter-hour of soccer from Eric Leonard to open the match. The Vikings scored again very late when Yusuke Kanada put an exclamation point on the finish to a terrific night of competition in front of hundreds of young players from the Celtic Soccer Club on hand to watch.

“It’s great playing before a big crowd like we did tonight, and to go out and play a very strong first half of soccer, and not allow Palatine to play its game was a key to our victory,” said Leonard, who in addition to scoring what would eventually be the game-winner, also cleared three balls off the endline to help keep the Pirates (6-2-0, 1-1-0) out of the back of the net.

“Eric was very strong out there for us tonight, and along with Nick (Tambellini), who I thought played his best game of the season, were both (big) reasons for (our) excellent first half of soccer, where we kept (Palatine) from playing its game,” said Fremd (4-1-1, 1-0-0) coach Steve Keller.

With Brian Hindle the consumate attacking player in the middle of the park, and Kanada and his front-line mate, Ryota Wada each a constant visitor into the Pirates’ end, the home-side would pressure its opponent over and over again during the early stages. Hindle’s inward swinging corner found Leonard at the back post — where the unmarked sophomore thumped his shot into the back of the net.

“Hindle just gave me a great ball, and all I did was put (it) in,” said a humble Leonard.

With the early shock of the Leonard goal over, the Pirates looked to take back some of the control of the game, and nearly did so, if not for the first of 3 endline clears from the sophomore. The first came at 16 minutes after Saul Gutierrez started it all with a wonderful run up the left side — ending in an attempt by Jon Clark, who first cleared the glove of keeper Colton Caesius and then shook his head in disbelief when Leonard tracked back to do his thing.

Hindle and Tim Lehigh would each hit the post in the first half, and Leonard took another dangerous ball off the line against Clark, this one in the 35th minute. But for all of the lively and entertaining soccer played in 40 minutes, the Vikings would enter the break with a 1-goal lead, and plenty to talk about during the intermission.

“We probably could have had another goal or two, but we really needed to concentrate on not allowing too many deep throws and corners (from) Palatine in the second half,” Keller said. “But they still had their fair share, because they play so hard, and somehow get you to play the way you (don’t) want to.”

In the first six minutes of play of the second half, the Pirates recorded a trio of corners, and two long, long throws from their specialist, Jeremy Velinski. But nothing with quality came of it, and at Caesius, but a well-run counter off a missed Palatine corner, turned into a shot from Hindle, after a lovely early ball to space from Kanada helped set his teammate free.

Leonard was at it again in the 59th minute, this time against Josh Lee, and a few minutes later, Caesius was forced to save a strike from Jack Reynolds.

“It was all Fremd in that first half, and we got back to playing with more energy, and won more first and second balls in (the) second half, but (they) were really better than us in almost all phases,” said Palatine coach Willie Filian.

The Vikings were without Matt Briars along the backline, but Leonard, Jon Magnusson and Nate Hellwarth earned praise from Keller, who was thrilled with the shutout his lads were able to produce after 80 minutes.

“Overall, it was a very good effort from the team, and an important result to open with in the conference,” Keller said. “We have to continue to work hard, and to do the little things (well) in order to continue to get these types of results, but all-in-all, it was a good night for us.”

The Vikings are on the road Thursday to play Prospect, then finish the week at home at 3 p.m. Saturday against Hersey. Palatine hosts the Huskies this Thursday evening.