After capturing third place in this year’s World Cup, Brazil met England on the soccer field again, but this time on Anna Maria Island, and earned another victory.
Thanks to local businesses Sato Real Estate and Lancaster Design, the two countries were well represented on The Center’s field Thursday night. Team Belgium, sponsored by Sato Real Estate, unexpectedly ran away with the game against Lancaster Design’s Team England.
Once again the heat and humidity of the 6:30 p.m. summer game made for a game that was not only a test of soccer skill and team unity, but was also a test of physical fitness that made the best athletes question if they hydrated enough before kickoff.
Newbie to the league Zack Lieb had the hot foot for Sato Real Estate with three goals in the game. Teammate Jessica Williams had two of her own, lighting up the field.
The duo put two points on the scoreboard in less than four minutes into the game, giving Sato a quick 2-0 lead.
Hoping to make the difference for his team, Lancaster Design’s Robert Armstrong hit his only goal early, taking the score to 2-1.
Lieb found the net at the close of the first half of the game with no time left on the game clock, giving Team Belgium a two-point lead going into the last 23 minutes of the match.
With plenty of time in the game and only a slight margin in the score, Team England took the field hoping to make quick work of the field. Sato Real Estate’s team passing proved to be a key to their win.
Substitute Lancaster Design goalkeeper Steve Oelfke did not make it easy on his opponents. Credited with three saves in the first half of the game, the saves kept his team in the battle.
Team Belgium’s goalie’s skills helped the Sato team capture the win with seven saves of his own.
Lancaster’s Jordan Demers took his place at the goal for the last half of play. Seven minutes in, Cemal Duzgan, returning to the league this season, shot and scored with a ball that just barely sailed over Demers for the point.
The Sato three-point lead quickly turned into four when team captain Josh Sato followed up on his own shot that hit the right post on the first attempt.
Sun Scoreboard
Tuesday, July 31 – Youth Indoor Soccer
Ugly Grouper – Blue Team 11
Ugly Grouper – Red Team 8
Thursday, August 2 – Adult Co-Ed Soccer
Sato Real Estate (Team Belgium) (2-0) 7
Lancaster Design (Team England) (2-1) 3
Moss Builders (Team Brazil) (2-0) 8
Ross Built Construction (Team Russia) (0-3) 4
Progressive Cabinetry (Team Croatia) (2-1) 5
MAR/KIS Insurance (Team Uruguay) (0-2-1) 3
Adam Mott made his return to Center sports this season after a nagging injury took him out of the last flag football season early. Mott’s laser shot alluded Bear with 11 minutes left on the clock and the score 5-2.
After a lot of running, subbing and sweating, Lieb snagged the hat trick with his third and final goal in the game four minutes later, giving Sato’s team a four-point lead.
Refusing to quit, with plenty of time on the game clock, Mott hit another shot for Team England.
Holding a glimmer of hope, Lancaster Design continued to fight hard taking shots. The last goal of the game by Williams was the feather in Belgium’s cap and the end of the fight by Belgium, ending the game with the score 7-3.
Sato Real Estate is at the top of the leader board with Moss Builders, both with a 2-0 record. The two teams have already had their bye weeks, along with Bins Be Clean.
Bins Be Clean and Mar/Kis Insurance each have a tie and have not yet claimed a true victory this season. The winless record is shared with Ross Built Construction with a 0-3 record going into the fourth week of play.
