Boys soccer: Hoffman Estates upsets MSL West leading Palatine
Hoffman Estates produced a sensational 80 minutes of soccer Thursdsay night at Chic Anderson Stadium, stunning MSL West leading Palatine 2-0.
The loss turns the division race upside down with the Pirates now one point clear (14-13) of Conant who beat Aaron Morris' club on Tuesday 4-2.
"We played a strong 40 minutes of soccer against Conant the other night before the roof fell in on us," said Morris.
"We knew how important it was for us to get three points tonight, and after a very good training session yesterday, I thought we would be ready to go here on Senior Night. (However) the urgency, energy and work rate just wasn't there, and now we better find it with Barrington, then Fremd left on our schedule.“
The Hawks (4-7-4, 2-5-2) would frustrate the Pirates (7-6-3, 4-3-2) who would defend doggedly, chase and disrupt, and attack with the type of vim and vigor that ultimately would be the difference in this contest.
"This was easily the best 80 minutes of soccer we've played this season," said Hawks captain Amer Sabic.
Sabic and his backline mates Joseph O'Brien, Oliver Pleban and Henry Henning were smart, organized and strong in the tackle in front of keeper Roberto Sanchez, who made three goal-saving stops along the way.
"Roberto was great back there for us, and defensively, as a team, we shifted together, made sure we put pressure on the ball, and did a great job of winning balls in our own end, and in the midfield," added Hawks coach Sean Armstrong.
"It was a fast paced, intense game tonight, and I cannot tell you how proud I am of all our guys for the effort they put in."
There was an ebb-and-flow to the first half with each side taking turns having the run of play with some neat passing combinations, and quick one-two passes as well.
The visitors would find the opener in the 23rd minute when a near perfect free kick from distance by Sabic found the foot of Benas Varanauskas on the far left side.
From there the junior found his twin brother (Lukas) who buried his left-footed effort into the far inside netting for his team-high sixth goal.
The home side could have equalized at 29 minutes if not for a marvelous save from the aforementioned Roberto Sanchez.
Lukas Varanauskas burst up the right side with speed before unleashing a wicked strike that Pirates keeper Alex Ganji saved to keep the Hawks’ advantage at one goal heading into the intermission.
Sanchez went airborne in order to turn a Brandon Torrez snap shot from finding the back of the net with a brilliant late glove save in the 50th minute.
The Pirates quartet of: Gabriel Carmona, Sebastian Lopez, Joseph Molina Urbana and Torrez were at the center of most of the play going forward. And if not for the heroics from Sanchez, his backline, and the midfield duo of: Daniel Cerda and Luis Maestre Rangel, the home side may have gotten back level.
"I knew from watching film that Hoffman was not a three-win team, and they proved it by outworking and outplaying us tonight," said a disappointed Aaron Morris.
Rangel would put the finishing touches on the Hawks’ victory when he converted his spot-kick three minutes from time.
"We've lost 3-4 games by one goal, but played a lot of game (close). But right now I feel like we're hitting our stride at the right time," said Armstrong.
Next up for the Hawks will be Schaumburg at home next Tuesday evening.