Controversy as Rattlers ousted

Late goal first ruled offside, then OK’d in playoff match

The Medicine Hat College Rattlers men’s soccer team found little home field advantage as hosts of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championship tournament.

The Rattlers managed to erase a two-goal deficit and draw even in the second half of their quarter-final match against the NAIT Ooks Friday afternoon, but a controversial goal from Sadi Jalali paved the way to a heartbreaking loss for Medicine Hat. While the linesman raised his flag to signal an offside call prior to the goahead goal, the decision was overturned after a short discussion with referee Mike Stacey — prompting outrage from Medicine Hat’s side of the pitch.

“They went back and talked about it I guess. The linesman said it was offside and the guy in the middle said no,” said Medicine Hat midfielder Allan Siwela, whose Rattlers were unable to bounce back in a 3-2 loss. “That was the make-it or break-it for us. In a (one-goal) loss, it sucks.”

Several of Medicine Hat’s players engaged in a heated discussion with the 23-year-old Stacey following the goal as time continued to tick off the clock. The decision proved costly for Medicine Hat, and Stacey added absolutely no stoppage time following 90 minutes of play — bringing an end to the game just as the Rattlers were forming an attack.

“It sucks because you know that there’s nothing you can do,” said Siwela. “You want more time to be added on at the end. But at the end of the day, when the whistle goes as long as you’ve done all you can during the game you can keep your head up. This game is ugly, you win some and you lose some. The boys played well today we just didn’t get the win.”

The Ooks jumped all over the Rattlers early with a pair of goals in the 10th and 11th minutes from Jalali and Matthew McLean, respectively, to leave the Rattlers reeling at the half.

While it placed the Rattlers in a troubling situation at the break, defender Matheus Tavares said he knew they were capable of erasing the deficit.

“We put it in our heads that we still had 45 minutes and that we could win,” said Tavares.

Siwela started Medicine Hat’s push back into the game with a goal just five minutes into the second frame, then Albert Woodroffe-Brown beat NAIT goalkeeper Norbert Janas through the wickets in the 56th to tie it.

The Rattlers had firmly taken over possession in the second half and were buzzing in NAIT’s half, but any jubilance from the two quick goals was short-lived as Jalali’s second of the afternoon deflected off the fingertips of Rattlers keeper Joao Batista and into the net.

“To score a goal like that in the last five minutes, I think it’s great. It shows character in our team,” said Ooks midfielder Sebastian Cabrera, whose team will move on to face the SAIT Trojans Saturday at MHC with a 12 p.m. kickoff. “It was one of those games you want to play in.”

While the loss marks a bitter end to the season, Siwela says the Rattlers will keep their heads up until they get a chance at redemption on the indoor circuit this spring.

“We had a good season overall,” said Siwela. “At the end of the day, looking back on the season it was great. I love playing with the guys. Now we’re looking forward to futsal season.”

In other tournament action, the Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder locked up their place in the ACAC semis while ousting another southern squad Friday with a 1-0 win over the Lakeland Rustlers.

Concordia’s Ayanleh Booth broke open the scoreless quarter-final in the 75th minute to lift the Thunder to victory despite entering the game as the lower seed. The Thunder will move on to face the Keyano College Huskies Saturday at MHC immediately following the NAIT-SAIT semifinal.