Ambassadors FC Ohio regained their footing in the NPSL Great Lakes Conference in a 3-1 victory over Rochester NY FC at Malone University in Canton, Ohio, bouncing back from a disappointing performance in Erie one week prior.
The match began with RNY FC well on the front foot, and AFC Ohio pinned back for the majority of the first 25 minutes. The Ambassadors back five were able to expertly thwart the attacks and attempts from the visiting side while not surrendering a quality chance. Goalkeeper Gavin Hill was busy, but not tested severely.
The tone of the match completely changed against the run of play when a Rochester back pass to their goalkeeper was pressured by AFC Ohio’s leading scorer, Amir Spratt. Spratt pressed the goalkeeper just outside the six-yard box, forcing the keeper to take out the legs of the forward after he took the ball off him, resulting in a penalty. Midfielder Yoni Sorokine stepped up and sent the keeper diving to the left while he calmly put the ball away to the right side, breaking the deadlock in the 37th minute of the match, putting AFC up 1-0.This goal was exactly what Ambassadors needed to change the flow of the game in their favor. After grabbing the lead in the match, AFC truly began competing at a whole new level. They created several more opportunities through creative runs and looks at the goal as the half wound down.
In the last minute of the half, Rochester NY FC created a truly dangerous opportunity in the AFC area, resulting in not only a tremendous save by Hill, but a sacrificial block by Jacob Irani and more than one man in white putting their body on the line to defend the last corner of the half. Had they not been as steely and committed in the moment, they likely would have been walking out of this half level.
As the second half commenced, AFC’s Hill continued to showcase his athleticism and skill with two outstanding saves, and nearly all attempts until the 53rd minute, when Rochester got past Hill before Alex Depperschmidt made a goal line clearance to keep things level.
Less than a minute later, the RNY FC intensity and press paid off as a failure to substantially clear their lines resulted in the ball being buried in the back of the net past the formidable Hill from about 24 yards out, bringing the score level at 1-1 in the 54th minute.
But that goal proved to be the wake-up call in the 2nd stanza for the home side. Amir Spratt earned the game’s first of four yellow cards in a contested duel inside the final third. Only a few seconds after play resumed, a Rochester NY SC player was immediately shown yellow after undercutting Depperschmidt in a contested header. Depperschmidt was forced to leave the match with a head injury under precaution.
As the match became a bit stretched following the substitution, AFC Ohio gained a foothold in ball progression and possession. In the 67th minute, Spratt’s strength and deftness on the turn were on display once again as he spun around the hard-pressing RNY FC player just inside the area and sent the ball soaring into the upper right-hand 90 and right past the outstretched RNY keeper, giving AFC the lead in the match once again and bringing the score to 2-1
Following the goal, AFC built to a new level of confidence, playing with small, skillful, composed touches, increasing their passing tempo, and putting the RNY FC backline under pressure consistently with line breaking passes into the half spaces outside the 18 and putting their wing backs into one on ones on both flanks. Substitutes Brenden French and Davis Novak changed the tone of the match on both sides of the pitch.
In added time, RNY showed they were much more than just a formidable opponent on the day, once again putting AFC Ohio on the back foot. Despite this push, Ambassadors were able to hold their defensive shape and display the lockdown defense that has been their foundation in their inaugural NPSL campaign.
In the last minute of added time, as RNY FC committed everyone forward to force an equalizer, Randy Harris ran onto an AFC defensive clearance just inside his own half with one to beat. With a defender on his heels and no one in front of him except for the keeper, Harris was able to dribble past and round the keeper, tucking the ball inside the near post to seal the visitors’ fate on the day. Knowing he would receive the game’s last yellow card, he celebrated with a back flip and removed his jersey before being flashed a caution, giving the referee a high-five in the process.
With momentum from the win, Ambassadors FC Ohio will host the Erie Commodores in a pivotal divisional rematch on Wednesday, July 2 at 7:00 pm at Dr. David & Winnie King Field on the campus of Malone University in Canton, Ohio.
