League

American FC
Spectators: 7598 (Terracing: 5777, Seating: 1771, VIP seats: 50) In the 3rd minute, Hayden Sierra hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Manuel Friend showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Graham Yeager, who was totally free with the ball in the 6th minute. Marty Burns didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Dallas Sheridan went, in the 11th minute, to the upper right corner, 0-1 was the resulting score. Ben Redd hit a great freekick 19 minutes into the match. After 20 played minutes, De Kalb's Len Armstrong shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Marty Burns came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in De Kalb reached it. If Dallas Sheridan had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 23rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. 23 minutes into the match, Albert Copeland notched a goal, 0-2, to the right of America FC's Marty Burns. Marty Burns was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Dallas Sheridan fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 27th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marty Burns having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Dallas Sheridan in the 32nd minute of play forced America FC's goalkeeper Marty Burns to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. DeMarcus Voss sent away a hard shot on goal in the 35th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Graham Yeager struck a weak shot in the 39th minute. Manuel Friend didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for America FC. 46 minutes into the match, De Kalb's goalkeeper Manuel Friend had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by DeMarcus Voss. Luck had favoured the away team in the first, and they walked off with a 0-2 lead.

An unexpectedly hard shot by DeMarcus Voss in the 53rd minute of play forced De Kalb's goalkeeper Manuel Friend to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The corner ended in Ben Redd almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but De Kalb's Manuel Friend did a great save. When the match had gone on for 60 minutes, DeMarcus Voss put it in 1-2 from a short distance just to the right of Manuel Friend. Albert Copeland fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 65th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marty Burns having to interfere. After 66 minutes, Leland McFadden mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the America FC and the De Kalb players grew even worse after the yellow card. A collision led to America FC getting a freekick after 67 minutes play. Leland McFadden hit a great ball. 68 minutes into the game, Albert Copeland recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Marty Burns. Albert Copeland showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 1-3. Albert Copeland sent away a hard shot on goal in the 71st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Graham Yeager received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 72nd minute. Manuel Friend tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 74 minutes into the game, Marcellus Cooley was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. De Kalb's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave America FC the free kick. If Graham Yeager had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 80th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 85th match minute, America FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Willy Laird to maneuver through the defense. Albert Copeland might have been able to make a better finish in the 88th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Marty Burns. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Albert Copeland ran back to his position shaking his head. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 93rd minute of the game. One of De Kalb:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of America FC:s goal. When Graham Yeager came up free with the goalie in the 99th minute, the America FC fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Graham Yeager couldn't finish the play. The De Kalb supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing De Kalb would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.