Under the lights of Baldwin Wallace’s Tressel Field, Ambassadors FC Ohio laid down a marker for their third victory in their inaugural NPSL season against Cleveland SC, marking the halfway point of their season.
Both teams probed their opponents early on with two very different styles. Ambassadors did not seem to mind not having the majority of possession and playing for the counter with a compact shape, while Cleveland SC established their possession, trying to open up the AFC block. It really never worked for CSC.
It was clear from the beginning that CSC identified Ambassadors FC Ohio’s forward Amir Spratt as an imminent threat. His speed remained unmatched, his deftness on the turn undefendable, and his individual work rate relentless, knocking on the door time and again early on. In the 19th minute, Spratt broke through the Cleveland SC back line on his own. With only the rapidly approaching keeper to beat, Spratt kept his composure and slipped it past him to put the visitors up 1-0.
Cleveland SC had some great looks early and opportunities throughout the first half. Caydence Robinson came up with a stellar stop diving to his left early in the match to frustrate the orange and black. The home team’s tactic in getting past Ambassadors’ back line was a combination of going over the top, or drawing the backline out. Teamwork and solid tactics were clearly on display as AFC Ohio continued to stay compact, organized, and focused on the “bend not break” philosophy they adhere to, keeping the score at 1-0 going into the break at the half.
A Maradona turn in the 52nd minute by Spratt broke him away from the Cleveland back line, where he skillfully rounded the keeper, passing the ball into a wide open goal, resulting in a 2-0 lead.
“When you score a goal, you obviously have the confidence to keep going on,” said lead goal-scorer, Amir Spratt. “All credit to my teammates for putting me in the perfect situation to put one in the back of the net.”
After a ball over the AFC back line following the restart, captain Omar Najjar halted the breakaway and dangerous shot attempt with a clean and impeccably-timed tackle, playing only the ball, and stopping the attacker in his tracks. From that point on, it became evident that while possession was fairly uneven in the first half, AFC established more of the ball in the second.
In the 78th minute, Alex Depperschmidt received a precision line-breaking pass from Yani Sorokine and quickly drilled the shot near post past the CSC keeper, giving him absolutely no time to react, and increasing the deficit for Cleveland SC to 3-0.
Wanting to take no chances in maintaining a clean sheet, Ambassadors sat back and absorbed more and more pressure, cutting off passing lanes, picking off searching balls, and winning duals that they were losing in the first half. AFC was quick to quash any potential opportunity created by Cleveland and took every chance they had to counter them as well.
And, the counter served them well. In the 86th minute, following a turnover and successful counterpress by Reese Utter, Josh Lord then found Utter on the break following a tight and tidy little combination to beat the CSC defenders. Utter was in and was clinical, writing the final exclamation point on the 4-0 evening for the white and blue.
There were a total of three yellow cards issued to Cleveland SC in the match, including their keeper for the second time against AFC this season, while Yoni Sorokine picked up the only caution for the visitors late in the match. There were fouls throughout the game, however, the vast majority were a result of clean tackles gone slightly wrong. There were times, especially in the latter half, when CSC put the “contact” in contact sport, but Ambassadors FC Ohio met these attempts with strength and agility.
Ambassadors and Cleveland SC also took the opportunity tonight to recognize the family of Hayden Kaiser, an original AFC Ohio player who was tragically killed in an automobile accident four years ago to the day. The captains of both sides presented his mother and family with a set of framed kits that display his number, and the commemorative shoulder patches that don every AFC Ohio kit and always will.
A set of Bible verses that spoke strongly to Hayden was shared with everyone in the stadium: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans 8:38-29.
AFC Ohio now moves on to play a benefit charity friendly match against USL2 side Akron City FC at Green Street Stadium in Akron, Ohio this Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. All ticket proceeds will go to benefit AFC Ohio’s partnership with the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, the agency that serves both the Akron and Canton region and their battle against food insecurity.
