2000
Champions
Cup
Steele Pulse Takes Title
In a match between two Maryland Major Soccer League sides, Steele Pulse defeated Casa Mia S.C. 4-2 to capture the Maryland State Soccer Association’s 2000 Champions Cup at South Frederick Elementary School on Sunday, July 30th. The two league opponents won their respective groups the day before against clubs from the Mid-Maryland Soccer Association, the Mason-Dixon Soccer League and the Kosmopolitan Soccer League to make it to the final.
On an overcast and humid day, the game got off to a flying start as both teams took early shots on their opponent’s goal. In the third minute, Casa Mia went on top as Ted Singman one-struck a cross from Joe Koziol. Steele Pulse evened it minutes later when Gui Valladares took advantage of a defensive mishap. Casa Mia goalkeeper Chris Temple got his hands on a cross but was unable to hold onto the ball as it rebounded away from him. Temple ran to the ball and cleared it up field as two Steele Pulse strikers were coming at it. From about 40-yards out, Valladares launched the ball back quickly and celebrated as it sailed into the upper left corner of the goal.
David Fernandez then put Steele Pulse ahead on a nifty play from Andre Bishop. On a quick counterattack, Bishop took the ball down the right flank and dribbled into the penalty area, pulling Temple away from the goal. He then slid the ball to his left to the oncoming Fernandez who calmly put it into the net for the 2-1 lead.
Both sides exchanged penalty kicks prior to the end of the half. Joe Sladick converted his chance to make it 3-1 but five minutes later Koziol pulled Casa Mia within a goal when he buried his spot kick just before halftime.
After intermission, Casa Mia put constant pressure on the Steele Pulse goal to tie it but was held off from the outstanding play by goalkeeper and team captain Kevin Wong. In one sequence, Koziol beat his man on the right side and placed the ball in front of the goalmouth. In a flurry where two Casa Mia players got close shots onto the goal, Wong and his defenders were able to keep their opponent off the board.
Bishop scored the clincher just minutes before the final whistle as Casa Mia was sending everyone forward. Bishop latched onto a through-ball from Steve Roth, rounded Temple and slid the ball into the empty net.
Both finalists made it to the title game in dramatic fashion, as they needed victories in their final group match to advance. Casa Mia was behind Three Brothers S.C. in goal differential as the two Group A sides entered the deciding contest with perfect 2-0 records. After falling behind 1-0 early, Casa Mia scored three second half goals in a comeback win. Steele Pulse captured Group B with a 9-1 drubbing of Williamsport S.C. in the last group match of the day. Williamsport led the group at that point with 6 points from their two victories and needed only a tie to advance to Sunday’s final. Steele Pulse had a victory and a tie at that point, two points behind Williamsport in the standings. A quick goal gave all of the momentum to Steel Pulse and Williamsport was never able to rebound.
Group play took place on Saturday, July 29th at South Frederick Elementary and Urbana Park. Each match was 60-minutes in length and each team had three games to play in their respective groups. Teams from the same league were divided among the groups and the two group winners advanced to the final.
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