The Villages SC 1–0 Asheville City SC
The Southern Conference semifinal, at Greenwood Field, against the side that had hosted us two days earlier — and we knocked them out of their own tournament.
Frederico Ferreira scored in the 50th minute, from a corner. A header across the middle was tapped away, and he was waiting, wide open, to blast it in.
"It's a moment of brilliance off a corner. Wide open, and Frederico Ferreira makes it 1–0 the Villages."
Ferreira came into this with two goals and an assist on the season and a reputation for scoring late. This one was not late. It was enough.
Asheville pushed from there and we spent a stretch on our heels. Mauro went close one-on-one after an excellent first touch, and later from distance. Chances went just wide on 77 and 80.
Mauro was booked on 69 for what our own feed called a very questionable decision, and on 74 was kicked down on the counter with no attempt at the ball. He came off on 85 for Adrian Chan.
And then six minutes of stoppage time.
Asheville had a corner on 91 and a free kick on 92. Tieppo saved a rocket on 93. Asheville were shown a red card on 94. And on 95 Tieppo saved again.
1–0.
Asheville City were a good side with good players — Michael Rasheed had already been drafted by MLS and was heading back to Xavier, and they had a group of fan favourites in that team. Their season ended here.
The Southern Conference Final next: Little Rock Rangers, in Newport News, Virginia.
