Four matches into our first PDL season, and two of our wins have arrived in the last minute.
Both were scored by Pedro Dias.
"You just have to be focused on the game, and then wait until the last minute — because in soccer you never know what's going to happen." — Pedro Dias
Anderson, who has to watch these from the touchline, put it slightly differently.
"For me it's the best win. You work hard the entire game and then you have that win — I think it has a special taste. But we have to take the early chances in the game and score."
He is right on both counts. He was also happy with the rest of it:
"The strength is we're keeping the ball on the ground, everybody's playing as a team. Our defence is doing a really good job. Our goalkeeper."
A squad that lives together
This team was assembled a few months ago from players who had never met, from as far away as South America and Europe. They have taken to each other faster than anybody expected, and Paulo Pita explained why.
"Most of us, we live together every single day. We have breakfast together, lunch together, dinner together. So we talk a lot about everything, and I think it has been helping us to help each other on the field."
"I'm so far away from home. So you see your teammates as siblings, as brothers — like a family."
And the crowd
Four home matches in, and the stands have filled faster than anybody predicted.
"It's awesome. We have these fans in the section and they're here to support the team, the city. I think it's really important for us to show up in the games and make the effort for them, and bring the victory that they all want to see."
"It's an extra boost for us. The players definitely appreciate it, especially when we're playing in heat like this and they're getting tired. They need that extra motivation to keep running." — Paulo Pita
Pickleball, recreation centers, town squares and golf carts are the things people think of when they think of The Villages.
Soccer is going on that list.
Come and be part of it.
