defense in the second half, which coaches credit
to their win Saturday night.
The Bay Area Ambassadors earned a spot in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) West Conference Championship game with a 3-2 win over Futbol Club (FC) Santa Clarita Storm Saturday night.
The fast-paced and exhilarating game saw two fierce competitors vie for the opportunity to play in the much-anticipated championship game next Saturday against the Sonoma Sol.
The Storm began the scoring early in the first half off the leg of forward Martin Galvan.
The Ambassadors countered in the 25th minute with a side shot from midfielder Emrah Klimenta, assisted by Stefan Clemens.
The Storm maintained great control of the ball throughout the first half, with neat steals and constructing a solid defensive line. The Ambassadors were much better at passing, however, they lost many attempts to ill-timed shots.
As the Ambassadors began to pick up momentum, the Storm scored their second goal with a free kick in the 43rd minute. The first half ended with Ambassadors 1, Storm 2.
FC Santa Clarita’s efforts in the second half, however, were not enough to mount a win as the Ambassadors fixed their passes and began to move in unison, which allowed them to score the last two goals of the game and keep a win for FC Santa Clarita at bay.
The Ambassadors had more attempts in the second half as the Storm seemed to be playing a game of catch-up even after their 2-1 lead.
Ambassador co-captain Yousef Samy scored the second goal for the Hayward based team in the 75th minute with a penalty kick after a Storm defender blocked an Ambassador shot with his hand. The Ambassadors tied with the Storm 2-2.
celebrating their win Saturday night.
The winning goal came at the 84th minute by Brayan Walle who tactfully scored with a strong kick into the left corner of the net with help from a pass by Francis Lopez.
“[We won] because we stayed with it as a unit, we worked as a unit and it was really a team effort,” said Walle. “The goal for this was just to keep up the momentum that we have had all season: play as a unit and come out to play as one.”
The Ambassadors ended their regular season at 8-3-1.
Many players echoed Walle’s sentiment of unity and fraternalism, acknowledging that their effort to work as a unit has allowed them to be successful and get this far in the league.
“I knew from the start we were going to come out and win it,” said Klimenta. “We pulled through together, as a team, as one, and we came out with the victory.”
“We believe in each other. We truly do, and that’s really why we won tonight,” he said.
Coach Hakim Rashidi credits the win to the team’s strong defense, but adding that if they hope to win the July 21 game, the team needs to work on creating more chances for scoring.
“Last year we came out last, we were last place in the league. At the beginning of the year we got together and we said ‘Hey, we’re not going to have that happen again,’” said Rashidi. “The commitment of the guys changed that, they were really committed and they wanted to win and prove they were better than that.”
Overall, he said, although the Storm started out stronger than the Ambassadors, it was clear by the beginning of the second half that they “really didn’t threaten us.”
Clemens was an instrumental player throughout the game. Along with providing the first assist, the midfielder played a solid game by running faster and completing more dexterous passes than any other player of the night.
Arif Khan, the Bay Area Ambassadors’ CEO and owner, said the game showcased some of the Ambassadors’ best work, noted in the dedication of players like Clemens and the excitement expressed by the fans from both sides.
“We were very patient about our buildup, and that helped us. The possession play, the buildup, and finding our space in the attacking side were key to our success tonight,” said Khan. “The players are playing for each other really, that’s the one thing which is different this year. And that’s made a difference really, everyone is in it to win for themselves and for each other.”
Rashidi says the brotherhood will continue in this Saturday’s game, as the Ambassadors will face the Sonoma Sol in the NPSL West Conference Championship at Raimondi Park in Oakland.
“We have come a long way and this game proved we are in it to win,” said Rashidi. “Come Saturday, every drill and every practice this season will come into play and we’re expecting a great turnout as well as a great game.”
