Cleveland, Ohio-
Cleveland SC wins a family affair over Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh and Cleveland have so much in common. They are in many ways like family. Steel towns. Blue collar. Tough, dedicated citizens and athletes. And every family has rivalries! Steelers/Browns. Guardians/Pirates. (Ok, Tribe/Buccos!) But people need to add a new one: soccer.
Big brother vs. Little brother
Specifically, Cleveland SC and Pittsburgh Hotspurs! Cleveland would be big brother, due to their recent NPSL success. Surprisingly, Cleveland fans could brag of their soccer dominance over those Pennsylvania friends. CSC owned that competition until this year! PHS, or little brother, finally took the season series over their nemesis from Ohio. They even had control of first place in the Rust Belt conference for a few weeks this summer.
So, it was fitting that the two teams battled Tuesday night on Krenzler Field on the campus of Cleveland State for the first round of the NPSL playoffs! But big brother prevailed, 2-1, with an extra time goal by super sub and former St. Edward soccer star Dakota Jonke on a simply brilliant strike.
First half
It was a warm sunny night in Cleveland. A large crowd of approximately 250 people gathered to watch the match. The first half saw some nerves with heavy touches and misplays from each, yet there were moments for success from both sides. But the half ended with the clubs just regrouping for the crazy second half.
Second half
CSC goalkeeper Conor Cable started the first goal of the playoffs in the 52nd minute. After making a save, his throw out to Boban Cancar began seven well weighted passes. Cleveland moved the ball from side to side and back to the middle crisply when Jannis Schmidt saw Vinnie Bell split two defenders. Immediately sensing the chance, Jannis’ through ball found Bell racing to the left of the box. With a solid left foot Bell, who had been missing due to injury the first two times these teams met (both Cleveland losses) crashed the back of the net and big brother struck first.
Photo courtesy of Luigi Musto, @viperg98
“Having a player like him [Bell] in these critical moments is important,” Coach Vlad Muresan mentioned after the game. “Playoff soccer is decided by the smallest details,” exclaimed Muresan, with the pass perfectly placed by Jannis a great example of that!
Thirty crazy minutes!
Little brother was ready and up to the challenge. The next ten minutes saw Pittsburgh press higher and get more aggressive in challenges. And in the 67th minute, the tying goal happened.
Tate Mohney, the Duquesne junior forward from Pittsburgh, replaced Ryan Metz in the 61st minute. Mohney slotted his shot past Cable, making it 1-1. The game took on an intensity only two rivals could muster.
67th min- @MohneyTate evens it up!!
1-1
Let’s go!!!!!
— Hotspurs Soccer Club (@HotspursClub) July 20, 2022
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Cleveland had a corner chance in the 79th minute that PHS goalie Garret Watson somehow saved. Alec Nagucki had the ball come to him in Pittsburgh’s box. Timing his header perfectly, he pushed the ball down with pace only to have Watson, turned the wrong way initially, throw his hands to the right to stop the ball from rolling over the line!
Cleveland game winner from Jonke
Dakota Jonke subbed out Vinnie Bell in the 74th minute. Dakota had been rostered to CSC most of the year but only recently was able to train with the club. Muresan must have liked something about the youngster from Avon, Ohio, and Cornell University when the team last trained on July 18th.
“I had the instinct to put him in after I saw him train for 60 to 65 minutes [Monday]” said Muresan. Sometimes coaching is making the right call at the right time.
So, ninety minutes turned to extra time, and Jonke propelled his club to round two.
For about the last three minutes Cleveland was pressing hard. PHS gallantly fought off every attack. Jonke received a quick pass on the left side of the box. Pittsburgh thought he was offside but play continued. Dakota took a touch with his left foot to get some space and move closer to the goal. Taking a quick look at goal, Jonke drilled his shot on the short side of the goal, covered by Watson. But somehow the ball went over Watson’s right hand and into the upper 90, a nearly impossible angle from Jonke’s position!
Cleveland SC’s Dakota Jonke punches in game-winner to eliminate Pittsburgh Hotspur with a 2-1 win @SoccerCLE pic.twitter.com/P3tvNdpHJH
— Mark Perez-Krywany (@MarkPerezK10) July 20, 2022
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Dakota Jonke! Stoppage time goal. 2-1 Let’s go boys! #WeAreCLE
📸 @viperg98 pic.twitter.com/DOr6eLSXja
— Cleveland SC (@SoccerCLE) July 20, 2022
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“My team had an amazing reaction after the equalizing goal, and we were able to get back control of the game and try to go for the winner,” Muresan said after the game.
Muresan went further to tip his cap to the Hotspurs organization. “I want to congratulate Pittsburgh on the season they had [and] their two wins against us in the regular season. They have a talented team, and they will be back challenging next year, I have no doubt about that.”
Next Playoff game
Cleveland SC has a short turnaround for their second-round game. A trip up to Muskegon, Michigan Friday afternoon awaits the men from The Land and a date with #2 seeded Med City FC out of Minnesota. The 4:30 pm EST kickoff is the first game for the Midwestern Semifinals. Following that game will be the #1 Muskegon Risers battling #4 Duluth FC.
Cleveland coach Muresan had this final comment: “Congratulations to all of my players, it was a team effort, and we couldn’t have done it without all of us. We will need another Herculean effort from all of our members. But we believe in our team, our character, and our destiny.”
And for another year big brother has bragging rights in the Rust Belt Conference family!
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