Saturday, September 4, 2004

 

CHARLOTTE, NC – The Utah Blitzz rallied from a two-goal deficit in the game and a one-goal deficit in the penalty kick tiebreaker, winning the 2004 Pro Soccer League championship in the sixth round of penalties (5-4) after a 2-2 draw against the Charlotte Eagles through 120 minutes of action at Waddell Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina Saturday night in front of 3,034.

Utah’s first good scoring opportunity came in the 22nd minute when a ball up the middle forced a communication error in the Charlotte backline that allowed the ball to get through to Utah forward Richard Breza inside the box. With his back to goal, Breza was pressured by oncoming Charlotte goalkeeper Eric Pattison, the 2004 Goalkeeper of the Year, and misplayed the ball, allowing Pattison to smother it to end the play.

The Eagles got on the board first courtesy of an unlikely source. With Utah concentrating on shutting down 2004 PSL MVP Jacob Coggins, defender Aaron Faro stepped up for his first points of the season in the 40th minute.

With the ball on the right flank, Patrick Daka slipped the ball back to a wide-open Faro, who blasted a 20-yard shot from the right corner of the penalty area to the far post, out of the reach of 2003 Goalkeeper of the Year Chad Sackett.

Charlotte took a 2-0 lead in the 58th minute on a strike from Daka. A throw-in from Ben Meek on the left touchline was sent in to a tightly marked Coggins inside the box. Coggins flicked his header to the other side of the box to Daka, who buried a shot on the volley to the far post.

Utah had only allowed two goals in a game four times over the course of the season, losing three times to just one win.

The Blitzz finally broke through for their first tally in the 66th minute. A short corner came out to the top right corner of the box before being sent all the way through the Charlotte defense into the six-yard box to Breza, who redirected the ball at the far post.

Charlotte nearly went back up by two in the 74th when a backheel shot from Daka at the edge of the six was stopped by Utah’s Jacobi Goodfellow, who was stationed at the post.

Less than a minute after Utah’s Alejandro Gutierrez left with a knee injury, Blitzz forward Byron Carmichael caught Pattison napping with a long, floating chip shot from outside the 18 on the right side that found its way into the upper left corner in the 80th to tie the game up and ultimately send the match to overtime.

Neither team lost a game that went to overtime during the season with Utah sporting draws in all three matches that went to extra time and Charlotte boasting a 2-0-2 record.

Utah nearly won the game on a defensive error in the 114th minute when a clearance from Charlotte’s Kevin O’Brien popped nearly straight up. Pattison came out to try to catch the ball only to see the ball headed out to Breza, who cracked a shot on goal. O’Brien, realizing their was an empty net after the failed clearance, had taken position on the line, however, and was there to head the ball out of danger on the goalline.

Overtime finished scoreless, sending the game to FIFA penalty kicks to decide the match.

Charlotte took the initial lead in the tiebreaker when Jorge Estrada’s third round shot missed just wide of the left post.

The Eagles nearly locked it up on Goodfellow’s attempt in the next round when Pattison got his hand on the ball, but it was not enough to keep it from finding the back of the net. The missed opportunity hurt as Charlotte’s offensive star of the night, Daka, saw his shot go off the left post in the final round, leveling the tiebreaker at 4-4.

Utah substitute goalkeeper Luis Zamora, who entered the match in the final moments of overtime for penalty kicks, proved the hero of the game in sudden death, stopping Chris Lemons’ attempt after Jason Boyce converted his in the sixth round. Lemons’ shot to the right was knocked high over the goal by Zamora, who saw action in just three games on the season (0-2-0).

Breza, who scored the critical first goal for Utah, was named the PSL Championship Most Valuable Player.

The championship is the second for Utah, which won the 2001 title at home, 1-0, against the Greenville Lions. It was the third championship game loss for the Eagles, who won the 2000 title before moving to the A-League for three seasons.