Broker’s late goal sends Moorestown past Allentown
ALLENTOWN » In a state playoff game, a split-second loss of focus can be the different between moving on and elimination.
The Allentown High boys soccer team learned this the hard way.
Moorestown’s Jack Broker took advantage when the Redbirds switched off for that split-second and buried the game-winning goal that gave the fifth-seeded Quakers a 2-1 victory over fourth-seeded Allentown in the quarterfinals of the Central Jersey Group III tournament on Friday afternoon.
“That’s been a big focus, not switching off mentally at all,” Redbirds coach Andrew Plunkett said. “After having several chances, we had the flow of that second half, it’s easy to switch off.”
Broker’s tally, right-footed effort from just inside the box, was his 13th of the season and came with 2:41 remaining in the match.
“It came in right to my foot and I knew I had a shot on goal if I turned,” Broker said. “I made a nice turn and the goalie came out on me, and I just slipped it by him.
“I was playing for my teammates. We’ve been having such a great year together, I didn’t want the season to end.”
The Quakers (11-6-3) took the lead last in the first half when Vincent Capporola bundled a long throw-in by Timothy Sever over the line. The ball appeared to hit Capporola in the back as he leaped to challenge an Allentown defender inside the six-yard box.
Moorestown nearly doubled the advantage early in the second half but Spencer Caurso kept the Redbirds (11-7) in it by clearing a Coby Gluck’s effort off the line.
Allentown pressed for an equalizer and after a few good chances inside the box went unfinished, Brian Buechele levelled it a 1-apiece in the 60th minute.
Buechele controlled a pass from Jackson Monahan, took one touch to settle himself and rolled the ball past Quakers goalkeeper Noah Afonso.
“They were working too hard in the first half and trying to do things they shouldn’t have been doing,” Plunkett said. “The second half, they stuck to the basics and we had them on their heels for the entire second half. If we put a few away, obviously, that game is very different.”
The Redbirds carved out one last chance with two minutes remaining, but a header was hit straight at Afonso for his sixth and final save. Moorestown (11-6-3) 11— 2 Allentown (11-7) 01— 1 Goals — Capporola, Broker (M), Buechele (A). Assists — Sever, Gluck (M), Monahan (A). Shots — 9 (M), 13 (A). Saves — Afonso 6 (M), Reeder 1 (A).