The El Paso Patriots started their 2001 A-League season with a 2-2 tie against the Milwaukee Rampage. The game was played with an average of 30 mph winds. Since April is usually the time of year where it is the most windy in El Paso, there were winds that reached 50 mph hour.
In the first half, the wind did affect play by pushing the ball out of bounds. The Milwaukee Rampage were unable to capitalize on their corner kicks in the first half because the wind would carry the ball over the goal, thus leaving their players unable to do anything.
There were very few occasions in which either teams were on the offensive. Patriot Gustavo Leal had some good shots on goal. The first half mainly consisted of sloppy play in the middle of the field. Patriot Justin Pratt and Rampage players Khary Stockton and Denis Fadeski each received yellow cards.
After a boring first half, the score was 0-0.
But that changed after halftime as both teams came out fighting.
The beginning of the second half resembled a basketball game more than it did a soccer match. Both teams were going back and forth around the field. In the 19th minute in the 2nd half, El Paso’s leading scorer, Luis Macias, scored his fourth goal of the season.
After the goal, both teams began with substitutions. Milwaukee started off first by replacing Jason Williams with the 2000 A-League MVP Digital Takawira. El Paso followed with two substitutions. Forward Mark Rowland entered the game in place of midfielder Jose Lomeli, and MF Paul Cabrera went in for MF Salvador Mercado. A little bit after the substitutions, goal scorer Luis Macias received a yellow card.
The Patriots final goal of the night came in the 32nd minute of the second half when Carlos Farias scored his first goal of the season. Gustavo Leal got the assist. With El Paso having a comfortable 2 goal lead, it looked like the Patriots were in the driver’s seat. But the momentum changed when Freddy Juarez was red carded and Gustavo Leal was replaced by Jose Abarca.
In the 42nd minute of the 2nd half, Milwaukee got onto the board with a goal from Igor Soso. Minutes earlier his brother, Alen Soso had been expelled. Two minutes after the last goal, the Rampage got the equalizer from forward David Hayes. Hayes goal was a beauty, going in through the top of the net, leaving Patriot GK Angel Murillo helpless. With only four minutes left in the game, Milwaukee tied the game and forced golden goal overtime.
In the first overtime period, the Patriots and Rampage exchanged offensive shots, but neither could put in the back of the net. Towards the end of the first OT period, there was an altercations between both teams when Rampage Yuri Lavrinenko stepped on Patriot Jose Abarca. Sal Mercado, who was on the bench after a good game, went up to Yuri and pushed him. Both were expelled for their actions.
With the Patriots having a one man advantage, it looked like the golden goal was around the corner. Alas, the Pat’s were unable to score, thus ending the match walking away with a tie. The Patriots, after two games, have one win, one draw and no losses. El Paso’s next game is this Saturday, April 28 against the A-League’s newest team, the Portland Timbers at 7:30 @ the SAC.
El Paso 2
19th minute of 2nd half, Luis Macias
32nd minute of 2nd half, Carlos Farias
Milwaukee 2
42nd minute of 2nd half, Igor Soso
44th minute of 2nd half, David Hayes
Starting Lineup
El Paso Patriots Milwaukee Rampage
Angel Murillo GK Dan Popik GK
Michael Griego D Josh Provan D
Justin Pratt D Alen Soso D
Severo Hernandez D Peter Henning D
Esmundo Rodriguez MF Dennis Fadeski D
Jose Lomeli MF Khary Stockton D
Freddy Juarez MF Yuri Lavrinenko MF
Salvador Mercado MF Igor Soso MF
Carlos Farias MF Philipe Godoy MF
Luis Macias F Jason Williams F
Gustavo Leal F David Hayes F
