Matchweek 10 Review: Upsets in Both Conferences

by NFPL

MATCHWEEK 10 REVIEW:
Upsets in The Midwest and Southwest Shake Things Up

Colorado Futsal Academy (4-2 and 5-2) BRUSA FC

Colorado Futsal Academy and BRUSA FC faced off with two matches in one weekend and six points on the line. A tough trip to Denver for BRUSA results in them slipping to the bottom of the Southwest Conference after dropping both road games. 

The first game of the weekend was Saturday night. Deivis Leal opened the scoring for the home side with an unstoppable piledriver into the top corner to take an early 1-0 lead. Leal turned provider with just under 10 minutes to go as Carlos Caro scored from a tight angle to take a 2-0 lead. They secured their third of the evening as Diego Galan danced through the defense and unleashed a brilliant strike up high into the net. 

Colorado went into the halftime break up 3-0, but BRUSA came out ready to play with a nice goal through captain Kaue Martins with under a minute played. At under 10, they reduced the deficit again with a classic BRUSA goal off an inbounds play. Christian Lima's layoff to Miquel Llinas arrowed a shot into the far corner and it looked like we had a comeback on our hands. 

However, an immediate response from CFA came from a set piece of their own. Harold Sanchez took the corner and found Ovalles streaking toward the ball, and his ferocious first-time effort went screaming into the back of the net for a 4-2 lead. 

Futsal Factory Academy 6-4 Grand Rapids OLé

Looking for their first win of the season, bottom-of-the-division Futsal Factory Academy took care of business on home court against the previously undefeated Grand Rapids OLé. The win is the first for Futsal Factory in several seasons against Grand Rapids OLé and comes at a welcome time, making the Midwest Conference look competitive once more.

Grand Rapids would start the game on top, taking an early lead through Aaron Gomez. Two quick goals around the 10-minute mark turned the tides - a beautifully worked passing move split the OLé defense open for an easy tap-in at the back post for Matt Sherman, followed quickly by an unfortunate deflected own goal as Futsal Factory took a 2-1 lead.

Futsal Factory would go into halftime with a 3-1 lead, scoring a third through another well-worked move. Drew Ducker's lofted ball out of the back was brought down nicely by Thomas Dono, and Mendoza's save in goal fell directly to his feet to knock in the rebound. 

Futsal Factory knocked the wind out of the visitors early in the second half as Cole Russell sprinted down the line and buried a volley into the net to take a 4-1 lead. 

OLé would attempt a comeback, but it was neutralized by Futsal Factory. Gomez was found wide open at the back post for the simplest of goals, but Futsal Factory's response a minute later brought the game to 5-2 as Ducker opened up the OLé flank and his shot fell to Gui Ramos for an easy goal of their own.

With under 7 to play, OLé made it 5-3 and you wondered if Futsal Factory would blow it like they had in Grand Rapids a few weeks ago. Marcos Real scored OLé's third of the evening after a nice string of passes resulted in the visitors nearly walking the ball into the net. Futsal Factory's nerves grew tighter as they gave up an own goal and made the score 5-4 a few minutes later.

However, they found a 6th goal through Lucas Carvalho, set free by Ducker's nice flick and they held on for a big 3 points at home. 

Santa Fe Gloom 6-9 New Mexico Flagship FC

Also looking for their first win of the season, bottom-of-the-division New Mexico Flagship took a massive 3 points off Santa Fe Gloom on their court. 

Peter Torres opened up the scoring for Santa Fe, scoring off the post to take a 1-0 lead for the home side after about 7 minutes played. It wouldn't last for more than a few minutes, though - New Mexico scored just past the 10-minute mark through Azael Perea after a nice first-time shot flew past the Santa Fe keeper. 

A penalty, taken and scored by Luis Loera a few minutes later, gave Flagship a 2-1 lead with 9 minutes to play in the first half. Barely a minute later, Loera scored a second penalty to take an early 3-1 lead.

Santa Fe's response came through Julian Bustamante, displaying a nice turn and finish after being fed into the middle by Torres for an assist. Luiz Rodriguez would tie it up and bring the game level at 3-3. 

In the span of a few minutes, the momentum shifted again. Loera scored his third of the opening half and Elio Luna added a 5th for New Mexico. 

Down two yet again in the first half, Santa Fe brought it back. Julian Bustamante scored yet another goal from the penalty spot, and Yeremi Valdez smashed in a toe-poke from 10 meters off the post and in from a corner kick. 

We'd go into the halftime break at 5-5. In the second half, the visitors were able to defend significantly better and pull away to claim a big win. Luna was in the right place at the right time to tap in a 6th for Flagship to take the lead, and they wouldn't look back from there. With 15 minutes left in the second half, they doubled their advantage through Marcos Ramires's shot deflecting and bouncing past the goalkeeper.

Lackluster defending from The Gloom spelled their doom as they conceded a third in a row from a simple inbounds play. Loera's pass was on point and Perea's first touch and finish were clinically placed into the bottom corner.

The Gloom scored on a penalty from Valdez with 10 minutes left to play but that's all they could muster. The Flagship added a lovely ninth goal, as Marcos Ramires ran into the box unmarked and punished The Gloom from a corner taken by Luna. 

A big win on the road for New Mexico - we'll see if they can use this as a springboard to move past a tough start to the season.

A LOOK AT THE TABLE AFTER MATCHWEEK 10:

A big win for Colorado sees them jump over BRUSA FC in the standings. It is beginning to feel like a 3-team race in the Southwest as New Mexico Flagship looks for their first win having dropped two games at home. 

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