The Villages SC 2 v 1 Florida Elite SA
Two men down, and three points
Top of the division against second, two points between us, the midpoint of the season. Win it and we go first.
Since their debut in 2019, Florida Elite SA had some out looking to take us down. Our games were the ones our players were always excited about.
A battle worked to prepare for but playing with 9 players is not usually on the practice plan.
The whole second half short-handed, most of it two players down. That was the test.
18' — Nicholas Butler. Mauro got it across and behind the Florida Elite defence, and Butler tapped it in. Our earliest goal of the season to that point.
1–0.
Then in the 30’ we lost a man to a red card. Lucas Mauro who is one of our best offensive players and the one who had set up the goal and made the assist for our goal was sent off.
He was jumping up trying to contest a ball. Elite’s defender cuts in underneath him, Mauro ends up falling down on him. The referee goes over to give him a yellow then the Elite players shows the referee where he took a cleat to the leg and she switches it to a red card.
47’ - in extra time right before the whistle for the break Elite leveled from a loose ball in front of our net.
1 - 1
Only a few minutes into the second half we lost another player. An Elite player gets beat by Paiva, then proceeds to grab him by the waist and throws him off the ball. The referee comes over to give a card and everyone assumes this is going to the Elite player.
To our surprise, she shows Paiva a yellow card. Paiva had a yellow from the first half so he is set off. Even the Florida Elite bench was surprised.
It was one of those situations where you know the referee is not on your side.
Now we are down 2 of our best offensive players.
Quote from live stream announcer at the time: "This is unbelievable. This is unthinkable. The Villages are now playing two men down. Arguably the Villages' two best attacking players have been sent off in this match, after being harangued for most of it."
What followed was one of the most memorable games our club has ever played.
Nine men. The whole second half short-handed, most of it two players down. Florida Elite has us pinned down on our half for at least 25 minutes.
We had everyone defending we needed to survived with at least 1 point. Letting them score was not an option.
Then Coach Anderson makes 3 subs including Chris Dilan (a forward), Austin Lukasik and William Santano. He tells them: “You guys have the fresh legs. Go out there and if you get a chance press. If you have a 1v1 or a 1v2 you have to try to take it to get us this win.”
We where not going to park the bus.
They bring some much needed energy and sparked a couple of chances and were able to get the ball back into Florida Elite’s half. One of those few chances we were able to get a corner.
Usually Lucas Mauro is the one who typically takes our corners. With him off the field, Cedric Tatchou takes it. It was a wide shot, Pedro Santos knows he doesn’t have it to get the goal so he decides to kick it back to prevent Florida Elite from getting possession.
And in the 84th minute, our defender Gustavo Murtha comes running up and takes the shot for outside the box and we get the goal.
Our right back, who had spent the previous half hour trying to survive, went up and scored the winner.
The noise from that supporters' section was something else. Our photographer ran into the field to take pictures of the goal celebration. He didn’t even realize he was in it until referee asked him to move back.
Florida Elite spent the last 10 minutes of the match trying to get back into it. Our back line was bombarded. Keeper Weston King played the closing stretch holding his ribs as we couldn’t make anymore substitutions. "A long-time Villages SC player who has played with the club in multiple seasons, finally getting his shot this year. A lot of heart from the young Buffalo keeper."
Nine men. The whole second half short-handed, most of it two players down. And a winning goal in the 84th minute. You had to see it to believe it.
After the final whistle players, fans, staff, everyone ran to the field to sing and celebrate together. We sang “We are the Buffalo” after having pushed thru in a way only a buffalo could.
2–1. Three points, and first place in the Southeast Division, alone at the top.
The Buffalo way.
