GL FALLS TO TSF IN HEARTBREAKER

It was a beautiful, sunny, Saturday night in Tyngsboro as GL NPSL was set to kick off against TSF Academy.

Lowell started the game well, right off the bat they were able to force a turnover high up the field and earn a corner kick off of a shot by Quincy Appah.

In the 16th minute TSF had their first opportunity of the match when an attacker found space and ripped a shot from about 20 yards out, which deflected off defender Barnaba Madol and was headed for goal. Goalkeeper Cooper Hall adjusted, changed directions, and stretched for the high save.

Other than TFC’s lone opportunity, Lowell dominated the first 20 minutes of the game by pushing the tempo and keeping the ball in their offensive half.

In the 19th minute it paid off when forward George Siotis slipped Quincy Appah in behind the TFC back line. He dribbled the ball into the opposing box and bodying off two defenders, slotted the ball home to put Lowell up 1-0 early in the game.

After the goal, TSF seemed to wake up and began to press Lowell further up the field, forcing turnovers and making the Lowell defenders work, leading to a yellow card given to Barnaba in the 29th minute, the first of the game, for hard challenge on a header.

After a Lowell free kick, TFC was able to break. Almir Batista split defenders Barnaba and Searl, leaving only Hamilton to beat. He slipped the ball across the top of the box to teammate Daniel Coreiro, however, goalkeeper Cooper Hall was up to the task, read the pass, and came out to make the save.

Before the half, in the 44th minute George Siotis was issued a yellow card.

Shortly after, in the 45th minute, TFC earned a free kick just outside of the Lowell box. The shot was missed by midfielder Luis Mendoza and the half ended, Lowell up 1-0.

The second half started and the game completely changed. Lowell created a few chances early on, mostly off of free kicks and corners. However, Lowell failed to put a shot on goal and in the first few minutes of play Quincy Appah went down with a hamstring injury and was unable to reenter the match, being replaced by Maxwell Kalombo.

TSF took charge of the game with Lowell on their heels trying to protect their 1-0 lead. With Appah out of the game, Lowell’s leading offense was no longer a threat and TSF began to pressure higher and higher up the field forcing Lowell to play direct to their forwards.

Despite this, Lowell stayed strong defensively, holding TSF to just a few shots which were easily dealt with by Hall until the 79th minute when a penalty kick against Lowell was called.

TSF’s Daniel Cordeiro stepped up to take the kick striking it just out of the reach of Hall, off the left post and into the goal, tying the game 1-1.  TSF received a yellow card for excessive celebration.

Shortly after, Lowell had their last chance on a free kick just outside the TSF box. George Siotis took the shot and hit it right into the arms of the TSF goalkeeper.

The final dagger came in crunch time when a throw-in deep in Lowell’s defensive end lead to a low cross which was hit one time and managed to slip past two defenders and under goalkeeper Cooper Hall to give TSF the lead and the win.