Union Ukranians 4-3 Secaucus - Game Report

Union, NJ – The Semi Pro League Cup adventure is over for Secaucus FC who dropped a heartbreaker to Union Ukrainians yesterday, 4-3. The Boys in Blue were up 3-1 at one point, but in the end, Union finished the chances they created and SFC did not.

Jeff East started in goal with Pedro Mendoza and Dustin Holbrook in front of him in the center of defense. Flanking them were captain Steve Wallis and Andrew Errico. The midfield from left to right featured Sean Suzuta, Gus Joulain, Rafael De Oliveira, and Boris Shabovta with leading scorer Eugene Gormley and Giuseppe Landolfo playing up top.

Sean Suzuta had to come out of the game early after breaking through on a one-v-one chance. The left-winger came inches away from scoring, and had a bad collision with the Union Ukrainian keeper in the process.

Gormley opened the scoring in the thirty-third minute after getting through Union’s defense.

Union put things back on level terms just after the break. Gormley restored the lead just a few minutes later, as Secaucus FC looked to have an easy game ahead of them. Landolfo put the blue and white up three-one with a cool finish in the fifty-sixth.

It was then that Union started mounting their comeback. Two balls in a row, lofted over SFC’s backline, took a few fortuitous bounces and were finished by Union’s center forward, tying up the match 3-3. The game finished a draw and overtime started. Just five minutes in, another high ball lofted into SFC’s box took a few bounces and unluckily came off right back Steve Wallis and went into the goal. That would be all she wrote for the semi-pro newcomers, season over.

First year manager Daniel Brown was like a man with a fork in a world of soup yesterday as he walked off the field after the match. Losing such a close game after such a great season was hard for the first year manager but team morale remains high.

This year was the most successful in club history. Brown took over, basically started from scratch axing many long-time fixtures from the roster, bringing in several key players. Despite being in a rebuilding season with players who barely knew each other, Brown made it work for the most part.

The team now looks to take the next step from being a good team, to being a title-winning team in 2009/2010. The goal will be consistency in play, and in results. Pre-season is slated to start in late July with the new season kicking off the week after Labor Day.

- June 08, 2009