Boxers avoid first-half TKO
Storm back to top Lancers in slugfest
WORCESTER — In a matchup between schools looking for their first Division 1 state crown, it was Brockton making school history.
The Boxers extinguished an early two-goal deficit to topple Longmeadow, 5-3, in an electric victory at Worcester
State yesterday.
“I think we were complacent and took the game for granted. At halftime, they needed a reality check,” said Brockton coach Herminio Furtado on his team’s uneven start. “They came out in the second half, (and scored) five goals; that’s amazing.”
Junior forward Leonardo Teixeira collected three goals and two assists, while Jonathan Rodrigues netted the winning goal and Riven Rodrigues added the clincher. Michael Willis, Joseph Cardaropoli and Oliver Davis netted the Lancers’ goals.
Longmeadow seized the lead in the eighth minute. William Echeverria heaved a long throw-in into the Brockton box and found Willis, who headed a shot past Brockton keeper Fabio Andrade.
Just seven minutes later, Spencer Robbins broke away from the Boxers defense along the left wing and fired a low cross past Andrade that Cardaropoli finished for an easy tap-in and 2-0 edge.
With one half to play and a two-goal deficit to overcome, the Brockton offense flipped the switch. After a number of corners, Teixeira finally found the back of the net, knocking in a loose ball. Ninety seconds later, Brockton (20-2-2) thought it had the equalizer but it was taken away on an offsides call.
Yet as the second half ticked on, the Boxers offense kept coming and in the 55th minute, Teixeira finished a beautiful cross from Odair Monteiro to erase the Lancers’ lead. Three minutes later, Jonathan Rodrigues pounced on a rebound to put the Boxers ahead, 3-2.
In the 65th minute, Teixeira scored his prettiest goal of the game, ripping a shot from well outside the box to beat Tomoaki Mitsuhashi and give the Boxers their own two-goal advantage.
After allowing four straight goals, Longmeadow (20-2-2) bounced back when Davis put home another Echeverria throwin to make it 4-3.
However, Teixeira had an answer, finding Riven Rodrigues on a breakaway. Rodrigues slotted a shot past Mitsuhashi to clinch the victory.
“We knew that we needed to keep scoring and keep them away from our goal,” said Furtado. “That meant playing attacking soccer (and on the fifth goal) it paid off.”