Sometimes, it’s not how you start, but how you finish.
West Chester, the reigning National Amateur Champions, conceded the first goal in the opening minutes of the EPSA Amateur Final and went down a man with thirty minutes to play. One of these events, let alone both, might cripple most amateur teams. But West Chester prides itself on being more than a typical amateur team.
Funsia Donzo puts his stamp of the biggest rivalry in Pennsylvania amateur soccer when his stoppage time strike helped West Chester beat Vereinigung Erzgebirge 4-3 Friday night at Bryn Athyn College.
EPSA After Dark brought the drama as the game went end-to-end throughout the first half with five goals between the two sides. After VE pulled a goal back to make it 3-3 in the second half, the momentum shifted with the challengers playing with the man advantage. With extra time looming, it appeared the trophy holders were going to have a difficult thirty minutes of extra time. But Donzo, the senior at Phelps School, played the hero’s role with a strike from distance, handing the champions their fifth-straight EPSA title amid difficult start to their national cup defense.
Though both teams will begin play in the Region 1 USASA Amateur Cup the weekend of March 22nd, the state championship meant more to the players and coaches than a typical game between the two clubs. The two clubs have been United Soccer League rivals for more than a decade. West Chester has had VE’s number in cup competitions as of late, while VE entered determined to break West Chester’s streak of EPSA Cup dominance.
VE Starting XI (Not in order):
E. Gawronski, P. Murphy, A. Watkins, C. Gomez, N. Hazel, K. Smolyn, J. Yurasits, B. Hennessey, J. Ruth, C. Houlihan, D. Antonini
Subs: C. Budniak, G. Dwyer, S. Krysztofiwicz, A. Rodrigues
West Chester Starting XI (Not in Order):
T. Kneis, M. Miller, T. Ascoli, L. Mellor, A. Axtman, J. Weaver, T. Amspacher, L. Thomas, J. Ricks, O. Slack, R. Robsinson
Subs: C. Burris, L. Hill, E. Bodega, A. Bhogel, S. Tima, J. Thomas, F. Dono
Employing a quick tempo from the opening whistle, both teams traded scoring chances early, with West Chester’s coming from the run of play and VE providing danger off their set pieces. VE capitalized on one of those set pieces in the 6th minute, using defender Pat Murphy’s long throw in to clog the box. Carter Houlihan jumped on a failed clearance and pulled a magnificent side volley into the lower corner to stun the champions 1-0.
However, West Chester responded with a vengeance just a minute later. Luke Thomas played an entry ball into Ridge Robinson from the right side of the box, and Robinson played a one-two with Owen Slack around VE keeper Eion Gawronski before tucking the ball home to draw West Chester level.
In the 14th minute, West Chester regained control of the game with a set piece of their own. After a VE foul on Thomas deep on the right sideline, the West Chester midfielder whipped in a cross that VE cleared to the top of the box. Robinson found Slack with a layoff, and John Austin Ricks ran onto Slack’s chip through the VE line and beat Gawronski to take a 2-1 lead.
Ten minutes later, the game went from bad to worse for VE, who faced another set piece after Robinson got behind the backline again and forced a corner. Jake Weaver won the header in traffic, and Murphy’s goal line clearance rebounded off another VE player and into the goal to extend West Chester’s lead.
The action continued at both ends the rest of the half, but after chasing the game, VE rewarded themselves with a goal in the 41st minute to cut the deficit to one. Chris Gomez curled an in-swinging free kick from a tight angle on the right that challenged West Chester keeper Tino Kneis, who absorbed some contact as the ball slipped through his fingers. A West Chester defender tried to head the ball out from the goal line, but instead the ball went into the roof of the net.
(Second goal video courtesy of Game in Frame)
VE wasted no time settling things back up five minutes after the break, and once again, Murphy provided another lethal throw in that gave the West Chester defense troubles. Kneis got his hands on the ball, but it fell to Nick Hazel, who slipped a pass to Justin Ruth in front of goal. Ruth took a settling touch and beat three West Chester players on the goal line to make the score 3-3.
West Chester faced some unfamiliar adversity in the 60th minute when defender Mason Miller received his second yellow. The advantage gave VE a jump as West Chester adjusted, and VE had a number of chances on set pieces to grab the lead for the first time in the game. Despite playing a man down, West Chester continued to counter with pace, and in the 72nd minute they almost stole the lead against the run of play. Robinson found Luca Mellor at the top of the box, and two VE players blocked his first shot, but the second made it through, stinging Gawronski’s hands. Thomas chased the rebound, and Gawronski made an improbable diving safe to deny Thomas’ header from point-blank range. Gawronski made another diving save to stop Donzo, and Thomas put the rebound into the net, drawing the linesman’s flag.
With West Chester reluctant to go to extra time, they peppered VE in the final minutes and began to create more of the opportunities. But VE mounted another great attack with six minutes to go. Bobby Hennessey slipped a pass to Kevin Smolyn with only Kneis to beat, but Kneis stopped Smolyn’s shot with a quick leg save to keep things level.
Every chance in the closing minutes lacked the final touch needed due to fatigued legs, and in the dying moments, Donzo came through with a surging run down the left channel and an awkward shot off a half-step that froze Gawronski on its way to the far corner.
“It feels amazing, especially playing with these great guys” Donzo said after the game about his winning goal. “We pushed each other knowing that we were one player down. My goal was just to help the press and then we can settle in extra time. But luckily, things changed at the end.”
VE will need to display a case of amnesia as they enter regional play in two weeks as well as another shot at West Chester in the Open Cup Final, with a date and time still to be determined. After the loss, Justin Ruth still remained positive about his team’s performance.
“I think we came out firing,” he said. “We had good energy and then kind of hit a little bit of a collapse. It’s a bit of rust and guys not playing for a bit, but we went down, gave up a couple goals, and found a way to get back into it.”
In addition to the equalizer, Ruth also a great chance late from a wide angle that sailed over the bar. “It’s anybody’s game. We beat them at our field earlier this season, then they got us today. Get the rubber match and hopefully get them back in the next final.”
Ridge Robinson has been with West Chester since their state title streak began, so he’s no stranger to the rivalry with VE and wasn’t surprised they hung around after going down two goals. “We’ve played VE so many times,” he said. “We know they’re an excellent team, especially on set pieces, physical plays, that we know any corner, any throw in, can change a game in an instant, and that’s what happened.”
Robinson and his teammates faced the rare struggle of having the game come to them, yet he said the veteran core and depth made it possible to grow stronger in the closing minutes while dealing with the man disadvantage. “We tried to change our game plan. We sat a lot more in, and we actually were able to play the counter more, which is not normal for us against VE because we’re generally on the ball more.”
West Chester now turns its focus to Tuesday night’s First Round matchup of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against the USL Championship’s Loudon United. Kickoff is set for 7:30 from YSC Sports in Wayne, PA. The game will be livestreamed on Youtube and ESPN+.
