WILMINGTON — For the third straight game, Salesianum’s soccer team went to overtime against a tough out-of-state opponent, but on Sept. 25, 100 minutes was not enough. The Sals and the Phelps School (Pa.) played to an entertaining 3-3 tie on a misty night at Abessinio Stadium.
The Sals needed just nine minutes to take the lead for the first time. Danny Matthews took a long through ball and went in on Phelps goalkeeper Rafa Moreno. His first shot was stopped, but Matthews followed the rebound and placed the ball in the far corner with a left-footed attempt.
After the Lions leveled the score, Tyler Cifa singlehandedly put Salesianum back in front. He intercepted a Phelps pass at midfield in the 19th minute, dribbled to the top of the 18-yard box, deked to his left and drilled a low roller just inside the post. The Sals led by a goal at the half.
It didn’t take long for the Lions to again tie the score. A blocked shot by the Sals resulted in a corner kick, which was knocked in along the right post in the 43rd minute.
Phelps, located in Malvern, Pa., spent much of the rest of the game with possession, but they could not take the lead. A quick counter led to a Lions corner kick in the 48th, but this one was unsuccessful. A few shots were wide, and Sals keeper Thomas DeRosa made some quality stops.
Salesianum also had opportunities, taking advantage of solid play by their defense. A blocked pass in the 63rd minute led to a chance for Brady Esser, but his shot was stopped by Moreno. A corner kick went off the side of the net, and a free kick from midfield in the 74th was headed just wide.
Cifa gave the Sals the lead again with less than four minutes remaining. A teammate was taken down in the 18-yard box, and Cifa’s penalty kick was good.
On the restart, Phelps had a free kick that resulted in a second-chance shot that rang off a post, and DeRosa made a save on a follow-up attempt. The Sals had foiled the Lions, but it was just temporary. Another shot hit the post, this one in the final 90 seconds, but the rebound was knocked into the net.
DeRosa came up with two outstanding saves in the overtime periods, and the Sals missed a few chances by a foot on the other end.
Final statistics were not available early Thursday morning. Salesianum (1-3-1) is headed to North Carolina for a pair of games. They will meet Charlotte Latin on Saturday at 10 a.m., then head east for a matchup with Durham Academy on Oct. 1 at 6:15 p.m.
Photos by Mike Lang.
