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menu2022/23 Matchweek 13 Review
A few big results in Matchweek 13 of the National Futsal Premier League have confirmed our playoff brackets in the Midwest and Great Lakes, and in the Southwest, a big win at home for New Mexico Flagship FC has shaken up the table.
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Futsal Factory 4-7 Ginga fS
An up-and-down season for Futsal Factory has come to a decidedly "down" end as a loss at home to Ginga FS prevented them from being mathematically able to make the playoffs. Ginga FS sit in the same boat, and with this result, we can confirm that Grand Rapids OLè and Columbus Futsal will be in the playoffs for the Great Lakes Conference.
The game could hardly have started worse for Futsal Factory. Kensuke Nakai collected an errant pass and rifled one beyond Damron into the home team's net after just 11 seconds. The game evened out for about 10 minutes afterward, with both teams being presented with chances that went wide or over from Ben Pritchard for Futsal Factory and Jorge Guinovart and Nakai for Ginga FS.
Futsal Factory tied it up through Nik Djokic, a bullet of a finish that careened off the post and in. Less than a minute later, Nakai regained the lead for the visitors, doing well to bring down a thrown pass from goalkeeper Upgrade Costello and finishing beyond Damron.
With about 4 minutes to play, Ginga extended their advantage. A lovely turn from Guinovart down the left side opened up the defense and gave him a square pass for Yuta Umeda to get over the line.
Futsal Factory pulled one back just before the halftime break to make the score 3-2 in favor of Ginga FS. Djokic battled his way down the sideline before finding Matt Sherman, whose laid-off pass was perfectly set for Pritchard to strike it first-time off the bar and in.
3 minutes into the second half, the home side would pull it up - an absolute bomb from Gustavo Lira exploded into the top corner from 25 meters in what will absolutely be a Goal of the Month contender.
Ginga took the lead with 9:33 to play in the second, and didn't look back from there. Captain Erik Hegerty's quick feet opened up a gap for him to find Nick Rumisek to tap in from close range for his first goal of the season.
As time ticked into the final few minutes, Futsal Factory grew desperate. Flying the keeper further and further gave them sustained possession in Ginga's half, but the visitors held firm and the opportunity eventually present itself for Guinovart to take advantage of the empty net to take a 5-3 lead with 2:21 to play.
If it wasn't game over then, it would be shortly afterward. Rumisek did well to fight through a challenge before lofting the ball beautifully to an open Satoru Matsushima and he dutifully tapped in from close range. Although Futsal Factory hit back just 8 seconds later through Pritchard, it wouldn't be enough. Another empty net goal from Adolphis Mckinney sealed the game at 7-4, ending Futsal Factory's season on their home court.
FUTSAL Indy 6-12 Cadence SFC
Futsal Indy played their final home game of the season in Matchweek 13, falling to Cadence SFC by a score of 6-12. It's safe to say that this has been an abysmal season for Futsal Indy, one they are likely looking forward to finishing and forgetting.
The first half was rough: Cadence SFC took a 7-2 lead into the halftime break and never really looked like they were in danger of losing this game. Matthew Szklarz had himself an excellent game and opened the scoring from a tight angle in the first 5 minutes of the game. Indy would tie just over a minute later: Garrett Nolan pounced on a rebound and finished powerfully from close range.
It unraveled for Indy shortly after that. With 13:03 on the clock, a handball in the box awarded Cadence with a penalty and Szklarz stepped up to bury it and take a 2-1 lead. A misplaced pass from the keeper led to an easy tap-in for Kyle Harms for Cadence's third goal, and moments later a careless pass out of the back gave the visitors a 3-on-none break the Szklarz put away for 4-1. He tapped another one in from close range after a nice spell of possession to go up 5-1 with 3:42 to play.
Indy pulled one back with 2:15 to play through Samsoni Sikabwe, one of a few players that have been a bright spark in Futsal Indy's lifeless season, as his quick feet left the keeper for dead before scoring. It was still 5-2 with a minute to play left in the half and a furious rally from Cadence effectively ended the game before the break.
German Mendrivel's nice solo goal slaloming through the defense was the first on the board before Gui Nunes performed almost the same maneuver to score the second. It was a 5-goal deficit at halftime and despite Futsal Indy scoring 4 in the second half, the deficit worsened by a goal.
4 minutes into the second half, Mendrivel scored after standing unmarked by the back post for far too long. Nunes and Mendrivel dissected the Indy defense for their ninth, playing a few slick give-and-go's and walking it into the net.
Indy's response came through another Sikabwe brother: Denis and Ujasiri connected well on a back-heeled give-and-go to give Denis an opportunity to finish nicely into the far post. Cadence scored their 10th less than half a minute later, squashing any thoughts of a comeback as Jonathan Junior drilled a shot into the bottom corner. Harms scored his second of the night, slotting into the bottom corner for goal #11.
Samsoni Sikabwe would score the final two for Futsal Indy, finishing well into the top corner first before claiming a tap-in on a counterattack. However, Matthew Szklarz would have the last laugh and the last goal, finishing a quick counter of his own over the Indy goalkeeper to record his 5th goal of the night.
New Mexico Flagship FC 5-3 Brusa FC
A massive result for New Mexico Flagship FC opened up the Southwest Conference as they took down Brusa FC at home by a score of 5-3.
Brusa FC drew first blood, with Jonnathan Segura finding Micah Vasey streaking through a channel to smash home from an inbounds pass with 8 minutes played. A scrappy finish from Irving Esparza tied the game at 10:44 before Brusa FC took the lead once more, this time Vasey finding Segura with a quick pass and quick feet to poke into the bottom corner. The visitors would hold that narrow advantage going into the break, but couldn't maintain it through to the finish line.
A clinical finish from Bryan Rivas tied the game in the 25th minute, only for Brusa FC to regain their advantage less than a minute later with Vasey scoring from an identical position after an identical pass.
As the second half wore on, the lack of rest wore down the visitors. With just one sub on the Brusa FC bench, the Flagship's possession-based futsal fatigued the visitors, creating more time and more space on the ball. With two goals in 60 seconds, the home side would tie the game and then take the lead.
Quick passing led to a break with Isai Rivas getting on the end to finish from a narrow angle to bring the game to 3-3. The home fans went wild when Pablo Salto's chance to blast in a rebound took the lead for good.
The final nail in the coffin was supplied by an amazing Bryan Rivas solo goal as he took on two defenders and dribbled the length of the field before hammering the ball into the net.
The win puts New Mexico Flagship's destiny in their own hands - if they win out, they'll be regular season champions of the inaugural NFPL Southwest Conference.
A LOOK AT THE TABLE AFTER MATCHWEEK 13:
With the conclusion of Matchweek 13, New Mexico Flagship have staked their claim in the race to win the NFPL Southwest. The playoff spots are locked in the Great Lakes and Midwest Conferences as well, although we have plenty to play for in terms of home-court advantage for the playoffs!
THE NFPL RETURNS...
With 5 games on Matchweek 14! Find the full schedule here.
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