Windermere dumps short-handed Ridge
DAVENPORT — Windermere’s Joan Pedro Viana headed in a goal in the 52nd minute Wednesday, and the Wolverines' midfield stumped short-handed Ridge Community to oust the Bolts 1-0 in the Class 7A, Region 2 boys soccer semifinals.
The Bolts (13-1) seemed to trade places with Windermere (7-4-3). A full-strength Ridge Community team beat the short-handed Wolverines 6-1 on Feb. 5. Leading players Daniel Prias, and starting keeper Bruno Berlanga, were out then. The Wolverines fielded their full team for the first time all season on Wednesday, with Covid taking chunks out of the team throughout the season.
The Bolts missed four starters Wednesday. Midfielders Anthony Cruz and Leo Vasquez missed with hamstring injuries suffered in practice. Forward Juan Brito suffered a fractured vertebra in his back in an auto accident. Another player was out due to Covid.
“We lost the whole midfield. Five guys on the bench. It showed,” Ridge Community coach Micheal Blethen said. “We had some better opportunities. There was no energy. We played very flat. The key guys who provide the energy were out. They’re the ones who give the juice. They fire everyone up. They couldn’t even be here because of injury. That allowed us to be flat.”
Fernando Gordillo started in place of Brito and had several drives. Jhonny Varela and Thiago Costa also had several drives.
Windermere, expecting a full-strength Bolts team, switched to a 4-5-1 to further gum up the Bolts in the midfield. Blethen said the Wolverines prepared as if they were facing the same Bolts team. Alexander concurred.
“We wanted to make sure we had the midfield, because their midfielders last game overcame us in a huge way,” Alexander said. “That was where the game was won last time. We tried to make changes to deal with their pace, with their speed and their ability to run at players and congest it a bit more.”
Windermere had a slight edge in possession in the first half. Ridge keeper Marcel Medina made three saves in the first half.
The Wolverines broke through for the only goal off a Viana steal. He passed out to Daniel Ochoa, who shot into the box, but Medina saved the initial shot, popping it up in the air. Viana then sifted through the chaos, got position just in front of the goal mouth and headed it low into the net.
After that, Ridge put on the pressure seeking an equalizer, forcing Windermere keeper Daniel Case Mello to make five of his seven saves in the second half. Several came on tough Ridge shots. Shortly after Viana’s goal, Costa cranked a shot from 25 yards, forcing Mello to make a diving save. With about 15 minutes left, Kinje Celestin lofted a 60-yard free kick toward the top left corner. That forced Mello to make a one-handed save to knock it over the box.