The Kits felt that they had been robbed after a violent game against Mather that ended 1-1 with the Kits falling 4-2 on penalties. With five seconds left in the game, the Kits got fouled 40 yards from the goal. Junior goalie Ben Matsa left his post to join the rest of the team in the opponent’s box, in the hope of a miracle goal. Junior Noah Thomas lofts the free kick over the defense. After a quick moment of scramble, the ball finds Matsa’s feet and then the back of the net. The amazed and shocked players and fans went crazy, only for the referees to revoke the goal after 5 minutes of celebration with a 2-1 scoreboard glaring.
“That’s a dream goal that they took away. I think that it’s terrible, terrible, terrible. That’s a goalie’s dream,” head coach Calixte said.
Despite a nail-biting end, the game did not start with that much excitement. The Kits’ midfield struggled to find their attackers’ feet, while the forwards couldn’t manage to stay onside with Mather’s high line. Frustration was building up throughout the whole team, and it showed when senior captain Louis Dush-Hart got a yellow card for bodying the opponent. Shortly after, Mather responded with a dirty play on senior James Bauman that resulted in another yellow card.
Starting the second half, the Kits were fired up and ready to create some opportunities in the final third. Keeping the ball in Mathers’ half, the Kits earned a corner with 28 minutes to go. Junior James Nicolau serves a perfect ball into the box, finding Dush-Hart for a crisp one-touch shot landing right in the corner of the goal.
“The returning seniors all did pretty well,” reflected Calixte. “Louis, particularly, once he got his legs going, he looked strong.”
However, the Kits continued to struggle to capitalize on multiple key chances that came back to bite them. The game continued to intensify, resulting in four yellows and one red card against Mather.
With 10 minutes left in the game, a miscommunication occurred between the backline and the keeper. The ball slipped through Matsa, equalizing the game with not much time left.
“We missed a few quality opportunities to put them away, and that made it hard on ourselves. And then they slip one through us off a deflection. But, you know, that’s the game of soccer,” commented Calixte.
The last play of the game was electric. The free kick was perfectly placed for the first-year varsity goalie, Ben Matsa, to make the miracle goal and win the game for the Kits. The refs made a very questionable call, claiming the goal was after the 5 seconds, ultimately costing Evanston the game.
What should have been a miracle game ended in a loss. The Kits have their next game of the tournament this Thursday, versus Lake Forest Academy.
