Recent signing Edgard Kreye struck late in unrelenting wind and rain at Garfield High School in Garfield, New Jersey, to salvage a 3-3 draw for Lansdowne Yonkers against plucky SC Vistula in the American Premier Soccer League [APSL] last Sunday.
The new Bhoy from U.S. amateur champions El Farolito of Californian averted a shock Lansdowne defeat with three minutes of regulation remaining after Vistula had come from behind to lead 3-2 with goals in the 72nd and 77th minutes.
“It was an opportunity lost to continue the form that we’ve shown since the start of the season,” rued Lansdowne head coach Matt Kane, whose lads have been in great form thus far, defeating New York Athletic Club 1-0 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and running off 7-0 winners over Metropolitan Conference champions Hoboken FC 1912 in the APSL.
He added that they didn’t show the [attacking] and pressing qualities that are going to make the Bhoys standouts.
“We were passive – since we [let ourselves] to be physically dominated at times. The game was back and forth, but it didn’t have to be. We have too much quality, both on the field and on the bench, with the ability to close that [kind of] game out and, to ensure that we were more dominant than what we showed.”
Lansdowne were dominant in spells as they led twice on the wet Garfield pitch.
Sam McCann, another Lansdowne newcomer, opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. The left-winger fired low into the far post after a spell of pressure by the Bhoys.
The lead, however, lasted barely two minutes before Vistula leveled when a long cross field pass found Alex Wojtowicz unmarked on the right. The 19-year-old striker, formerly on the books of top flight Polish side Gornik Zabrze, advanced into the box and connected from a tight angle with his own left foot, low and hard.
The two teams were still tied 1-1 in the 61st minute when McCann spurned a chance to restore the Bhoys lead. On the break, Edgard Kreye laid a ball in his path some 20 yards from goal. With only Vistula goalie Aldo Munoz between him and the net, McCann deftly controlled the ball with his right foot, then shot using the same leg. But Munoz was equal to the task. He dove to his left and blocked the effort.
But the hosts were not out of the woods yet. Lansdowne immediately recovered the ball. It was passed to Marco Charnas who worked his way to the right of the box and from 25 yards rifled a hard low into the far corner to make it 2-1.
Lansdowne would be pegged back 10 minutes from the penalty spot. Wojtowicz converted the spot kick awarded for a foul in the box. He calmly sent Bhoys goalie Luis Granados the wrong way.
In the 77th minute, Matthew Fernandez cut inside from the right and curled the ball past Granados with his left foot to give Vistula its first lead.
Losing finalists in the Fritz Marth National Amateur Cup final in Wisconsin last July, the Bhoys rallied back in the rain. Their efforts were rewarded in the 87th minute with Kreye’s equalizer.
“We knew it was going to be a battle [and] fought as well as we could," said Vistula coach Chris Karcz. “Lansdowne is probably the toughest opponent in the league. Not only do they have great players, [but] they keep getting better and have top class coaching staff that keeps them organized.”
With the draw, Lansdowne are now second in the APSL’s Metropolitan Soccer League with four points from one win and a draw. Central Park Rangers top the log with nine points from three wins.
