The Impact squad's offensive prowess was not enough to beat the more experienced AC Milan on Wednesday night.
The seventh place St. Albert Impact division 1B men came up short in a close game against the sixth place AC Milan squad with a final outcome of 2-1.
The game began energetically with both teams fighting for possession and struggling to settle the ball down. The Impact got the first chance early on when Nico Molina carried the ball up the wing and fired a centring pass to Scott Robson who sent the ball sailing just wide of the net.
AC Milan returned fire by charging down the field and getting to work in the offensive zone. After a few attempts on the goal, the opposition got lucky with a wide, slow pass creeping past the Impact defenders and crawling into the back of the net, putting the visitors up early in the game.
The challengers continued to come on strong and tested the home team’s keeper by out-passing the Impact in their defensive third of the field. The defenders fought back but could not manage to clear the ball to safety.
“Our back four were a little big disjointed in the first half,” Coach Ian Steinke said. “We have a lot of new bodies and new faces and the communication is not there. They are unsure of where they are supposed to be on the pitch. The communication is something we need to start working on a little more.”
AC Milan continued to press through the first half and found another opportunity when Impact keeper Scott Hornbeck charged the ball but was beat by forwards, who gently passed the ball into corner of the net.
The half ended with the Impact down by two goals but after some modifications made during half time, the home team came out flying in the second half.
“We made some adjustments to our shape and decided to pull a player out of the back move him forward just so we could generate more attack,” Steinke said. “We made that adjustment and definitely put a lot more pressure on them.”
The home team opened the second half enthusiastically but every potential opportunity was thwarted by a string of seemingly endless offside calls.
Finally after beating the defenders and overcoming over-eager forwards, the Impact scored a long overdue goal. Henry Jeong lit up after catching a quick pass and dribbled around two defenders to beat the keeper for the Impacts first and only goal of the night.
The home team spent most of the night trying to come together and co-ordinate a team full of new faces. Five of the players were from the St. Albert U-18 team and four were shipped in from the FC Edmonton club.
“Some of these kids are in Grade 11 and going in to Grade 12,” Steinke said. “They are playing against men so it’s a big adjustment for them. It’s a bit more physical but they held their own and we dominated the second half and we probably deserved a bit of a better fate tonight.”
The Impact play again, against the fourth place The Club on Sunday, July 10 at 6 p.m. at the Edmonton Soccer Association Complex.
