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Players/Teams Select (Division 3) Girls U11 - Heat U11G Heat Take 2nd at Tiburon, Missing 1st by Inches in Dramatic Finish
Players/Teams Select (Division 3) Girls U11 - Heat U11G Heat Take 2nd at Tiburon, Missing 1st by Inches in Dramatic Finish
| U11G Heat Take 2nd at Tiburon, Missing 1st by Inches in Dramatic Finish |
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| Monday, 25 August 2008 12:35 |
 Click image to enlarge Rivaling the drama of the US-Brazil gold medal game, the finals match-up exceeded all expectations, keeping spectators on the edge of their folding chairs from start to finish. Sonoma scored first, when striker Diandra Gold-Diamond redirected an Alexis Straube free kick inside the far post midway through the first half. A 1-0 halftime lead looked assured, but Mustang leveled with an unstoppable long ball into the top corner seconds before the whistle. The second half was an epic defensive struggle, with neither side breaking through the smothering defense at both end, and the score remained deadlocked 1-1 at the end of regulation. In overtime, with exhaustion evident on both sides, neither team was able to mount a serious threat until the very last play, when Mustang got off a wicked shot targeted for the top of the net. But Sonoma keeper Kaylin Riebli made a miraculous save, fully extending to get a hand on the ball, barely deflecting it over the crossbar and keeping Heat’s title hopes alive. Still knotted at 1-1, the match came down to penalty kicks. With PK's tied at 2-2, Mustang’s fifth and final player to shoot hit the underside of the cross-bar, the ball landing just over the goal line, giving Mustang a dramatic win by a matter of inches. In a demonstration of remarkable sportsmanship and mutual respect, the players from both teams celebrated together at the center circle, bringing an end to an exhilarating match which neither side deserved to lose. |
| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 29 October 2008 06:52 ) |
