18 August 2024
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Alliance United B win Men’s League2
Alliance were victorious after a 20 penalties in a shootout that followed a dramatic 2-2 tie in regulation time.
Ahrvin Raveendran’s fantastic one-handed save for Alliance United B defeated Vaughan Azzurri B in the Men’s League2 Final penalty shootout after a 2-2 tie in regulation time.
Nineteen penalties had already been taken in the shootout and all but two found the net, before Jelani Brathwaite’s spot-kick was incredibly saved by Raveendran’s outstretched right hand.
It was Alliance, however, who started the game with a missed penalty. After Jamai Royer sent an Alliance player tumbling to the turf, Lorenzo Abbaglivo saw his attempt from the spot saved by Vaughan’s Daniel Petkovski and couldn’t convert the rebound.
Abbaglivo made amends in the 24th minute after some great individual skill from Matthew Glavanov opened space his teammate to charge at the Vaughan goal and slot into the bottom corner.
Nathan Baker had Vaughan level before half-time after Raveendran mishandled the ball and the Vaughan forward pounced to steal possession and pass into the open net.
The game stayed level until the 70th minute when Adriano Iannello won possession in Alliance’s box and whipped a wonderful cross to the back post, which his teammate Mateo Caride expertly nodded into the goal.
But Alliance fought their way back to level terms with just four minutes of regulation time to go; David Chen’s shot crashed off the crossbar and fellow substitute Michael Maslanka out-jumped his defender to direct the rebound into the net.
The goal set up a penalty shootout, where Raveendran made amends for his earlier mistake with a heroic save to crown Alliance the inaugural Men’s League2 Final champions. Both finalists have the opportunity to be promoted to the Men’s Championship next year.