AC St. Louis Draw Minnesota 2-2
August 1, 2010 - U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
AC St. Louis News Release
ST. LOUIS, MO (August 1, 2010) - AC St. Louis, playing in the USSF Division 2 Pro League, tied the NSC Minnesota Stars 2-2 on Sunday afternoon at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in front of 2,037 fans. AC St. Louis, in a near repeat of their two previous league games with Minnesota, held leads twice but could not hold off a hard charging Minnesota team at the end as the Stars rallied to score twice in the final 10 minutes.
Luke Kreamalmeyer started the scoring for St. Louis in the 42nd minute with a virtuoso dribbling display inside the Minnesota penalty area. The winger ripped a shot into the back of the net for his third goal of the year. Kreamalmeyer took down a ball on the left side of the area before making a cut back to his right that allowed him to round a defender and unleash the shot. The goal marked the fourth time in four games against Minnesota that St. Louis had scored first. St. Louis carried the 1-0 lead into halftime as they looked for their third straight win.
Late in the second half is when the tide began to turn. Melvin Tarley equalized for Minnesota on a header at the St. Louis near post. Kevin Friedland headed a ball back across goal that Tarley was able to redirect. Despite allowing another late goal AC St. Louis rallied themselves immediately. Defender Mark Bloom slipped a cross in to Jack Traynor inside the penalty area; Traynor's first touch was clean and just after he took it he was fouled from behind. The referee awarded a penalty that Luke Kreamalmeyer calmly dispatched for his second goal of the game in the 86th minute to put St. Louis back ahead 2-1. It would not last.
AC St. Louis nemesis Brian Cvilikas, a late substitution in the match, would steal a point for Minnesota with a goal in stoppage time. The Minnesota forward got to a ball from Andrei Gotsmanov at the top of the 18-yard box, and chipped an on-rushing Alec Dufty for the equalizer.
AC St. Louis now stands at 5-10-5 after 20 games as they chase one of the final playoff spots now with just 10 matches remaining.
"It was déj=E0 vu all over again," said head coach Dale Schilly afterwards. "The games are a game of moments, and we had two moments that we did not deal with. On the good side though we responded to both of their goals. When they tied it a 1-1 we were gassed, but we got forward and won a well-deserved penalty. Even after their second goal we came back at them again."
The final play of the game almost provided Schilly with a dramatic winner. Midfielder Troy Cole got up to head down a well place cross back across the face of the goal as he bid for a game-winner at the far post, but his well struck, down driven, effort went just a foot wide of the mark as the referee blew the final whistle.
AC St. Louis' next home match is on Friday night, August 6 at 7:10 p.m. against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Tickets are still available and can be obtained by calling 1-888-STL-GOAL, or by visiting www.ac-stlouis.com.
U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 Stories from August 1, 2010
- AC St. Louis Draw Minnesota 2-2 - AC St. Louis
- NSC Minnesota Stars Come from Behind Twice to Salvage 2-2 Draw Against Ac St. Louis - Minnesota United FC
- Miami FC Comeback Attempt Not Enough in Loss to First-Place Austin Aztex - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
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