USL LEAGUE TWO: Working Some OT: Fort Wayne FC rallies past Midwest United FC in wild 3-2 overtime affair to earn rematch with Flint City Bucks
- Dan Stickradt
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
FLINT, Mich. – There are comebacks in the arena of sports.
It happens every day and at every level.
On the soccer pitch, Fort Wayne FC posted one of its greatest comebacks Friday afternoon, rallying for a 3-2 double-overtime victory over Midwest United FC in an USL League Two Central Conference quarterfinals match at historic Atwood Stadium at Kettering University.
A year ago, Fort Wayne FC edged Midwest United FC on penalty kicks 5-4 after the two teams battled to a 0-0 stalemate.
This time it was a little bit more dramatic.
Caio Oliveira bent in a 20-yard free kick over the wall and into the upper-90 of the net four minutes into stoppage time at the end of the second half to send the game to extra time.
Then in the 117th minute of the second overtime session, Amari Fowlkes knocked home a four-yard shot in traffic following a cross from the right side from Aboubacar Traore for what proved to not only be the go-ahead goal and the side’s first lead of the game, but also the game-winner in dramatic fashion.
Fort Wayne FC (10-2-1) held on down the stretch in a wild game marred by over a dozen yellow cards and eventually four red cards – two in the second overtime and two after the final whistle was blown and all four red cards were against Midwest United FC.
Just four years into the league, Midwest United FC reached the postseason for the second straight season. The side finishes with a 8-4-1 overall record and a 29-13 scoring edge but could not get past the Round of 32 for the second straight season.
Midwest United simply could not put Fort Wayne away despite leading 2-0 at the half and 2-1 late in regulation..
Christian Shannon volleyed home a Guiseppe Barone cross in the 37th minute to give Midwest United FC the 1-0 lead.
Midwest United doubled the advantage in the 43rd when Vitalis Takawira slotted the ball into the box from the right side and Eron Sylejmani was there near the doorstep to send it home and give his team the 2-0 lead at their half.
In the second half, Fort Wayne mustered a 4-2 shots edge including 3-2 with shots on frame but began its comeback which resulted in the two tallies.
Coming out of the gate in attack mode, Fort Wayne FC pulled one back in the 52nd when Tiago Dias redirected a serve from Gaku Nishimura to trim the deficit down to 2-1.
That set the stage for Oliveira’s Bend-iI-Like-Beckham set piece that sent the game into overtime.
During the two 15-minute extra sessions, Fort Wayne outshot Midwest United FC 7-2, including 6-1 with shots on frame. The sixth and final shot for Fort Wayne resulted in the game-winner.
Aurie Briscoe gained the win in goal with five saves, while Taariq Ganga finished with seven saves for Midwest United before being ejected in the final minute of the second overtime.
For the game, Fort Wayne FC outshot Midwest United 13-9 overall, including 10-7 with shots on goal, and even held a 8-4 advantage off cornerkicks.
Fort Wayne FC earned a date Sunday night against host Flint City Bucks, which upended Steel City FC 4-3 late Friday. It will be a rematch of sorts as Flint City edged Fort Wayne FC 1-0 last season in the Round of 16.
Fort Wayne now owns a 27-10 scoring edge this season.
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