WPL's Aegean Hawks Dropped in Region I US Amateur Cup Quarterfinals

Fall in PKs (3:4) after 3:3 Tie in AET; Vereinigung Erzgebirge (E-PA) Advances

April 14th

The host Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks were eliminated from the 2014 USASA Region I Amateur Cup in the Quarterfinal round in penalties (3:4) by Vereinigung Erzgebirge (E-PA) after both teams finished regular and AET even at 3-3.  

The match was played at the Maryland Soccerplex on a blustery day with a strong headwind that created advantages for both teams.  In the first half, the wind was in Hawks favor.  Hawks started off strong and had several solid scoring chances, but VE got a goal against the run of play off a diagonal long ball to a streaking forward in the box who calmly held off his defender and squirted the ball past onrushing GK Eric Valladares.  Momentum swung back to VE for a spell after the goal before the Hawks grabbed momentum again with several opportunities that rang the post.  Gui Fonseca collected a ball 5 yards from the top of the box and blasted a shot that nicked the outside of the right post.  The VE GK made several solid saves off long range shots from Hawks towards the end of the first half.  Close to halftime whistle, The Hawks Titou Fierro's freekick narrowly missed and whisked the left post on another close call.  Hawks down 1-0 at half.  

In the second stanza, the Aegeans got on board quickly at about 50' after Watson Prather's shot was blocked in the box by the VE keeper and striker Andre Nunes was able to poke in the equalizer.  VE started to pressure hard with the wind and got a go-ahead goal in the 70th minute on another scramble in the box.  In the 75th minutes the Hawks went to 3 in the back and brought Mateus Dos Anjos up to the striking corps to try and generate the equalizer.  In the 78th minute, the Hawks equalized when outside midfielder Jose Colchao was fouled in the penalty area and Watson Prather coolly converted to bring the Hawks level again.  VE answered right back as the Hawks had resumed a 4-4-2 formation but a throughball found their speedy winger to feet heading to goal and able to hold off the Hawks defender on his run through the penalty area to slot in VE's third goal in the 82nd minute.  The Hawks went to 3 in the back once again and found their third equalizer of the match in the 87th minute.  Andre Nunes fed Mateus dos Anjos to feet in the box and the outside back-turned forward was dragged down for a PK, which Hawks captain Watson Prather converted again to keep things level at the end of regulation and force OT.  The Hawks had used all their subs and for the last 5 minutes of regulation and the duration of OT, Hawks Dan Fogarty mobility was hampered by an apparent torn meniscus.  After two OT periods dominated by both teams that had the wind at their back, the fixture was settled by PKs, with the visitors emerging as the victors:

Round 1:  Missed by Hawks Andre Nunes (saved) ; made by VE (0-1)
Round 2:  Made by Hawks Watson Prather; made by VE (1-2)
Round 3:  Made by Hawks Parnell Hegngi; made by VE (2-3)
Round 4:  Made by Hawks Michael Goldman; missed (saved) by VE (3-3)
Round 5:  Missed (saved) by Hawks Mateus Dos Anjos; made by VE (3-4)

The Hawks are still alive in Region I Open Cup action and will take on the Maryland Bays as the visiting team on Sunday, May 4th.
 
Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks Lineup (4-4-2):
 
FWD:  Andre Nunes, Gui Fonseca 
CM:  Michael Goldman (captain), Watson Prather (co-captain)
RM:  William Fierro 
LM:  Jose Colchao
CB:  Tim Finklea, Devlin Barnes
LB:  Mateus dos Anjos
RB:  Edward Thurston
GK:  Eric Valladares
 
Substitutes:
Parnell Hegngi (75' for Gui Fonseca)
Dan Fogarty (80' for William Fierro)
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