The CSL Cup Final turned out to be a very entertaining event Saturday night at Manhattan village. Both teams were unbeaten in league play all season long going into the game, with Doxa having won the Premier Division and FC Anaheim having won the First Division, ensuring that it was always going to be a very competitive final.
And it looked like their might have been a shock on the cards when FC Anaheim took the lead 30 minutes in. A through ball left an Anaheim striker 1 vs 1 with Brian Burdue and he chose to lob it over Burdue into the back of the net. Shortly before half time, Tai Doan was taken off after suffering a pretty nasty concussion. FC Anaheim went into half time with a 1-0 lead.
John Gerrard chose to change things up for the second half, and reverted to a 4-3-3 formation. The momentum was definitely in Doxa’s favor, only for several great opportunities to be squandered. But the breakthrough finally came off a Sean Lockhart free kick. The ball was swung in, and captain Derk Droze was on hand to nod the ball in on the back post. The game really turned on its head soon after, when an FC Anaheim defender received a second yellow for taking down Eric Meister as he beat him down the line. Doxa really started to take control.
The go-ahead goal came through the same man again, Droze. He received the ball just inside the FC Ahaheim box, took a touch wide to his left before drilling a left foot half-volley past the keeper. The third goal came through an unlikely source when right back Devon Toohey picked up the ball 35 yards from goal. Toohey took one touch forward before belting a screamer into the top right corner. And the game was sealed up with 10 minutes to go when Steve Chirgwin picked up a ball in a very similar position, only to rip a dipping shot into the left bottom corner.
Any of the final three goals could have been mentioned as choices for goal of the season. Full credit goes to a very hard working FC Anaheim team who themselves had an excellent season. They are sure to be a team to watch out for in the coming seasons as they look to become a Premier Division team.
The win captured a very fulfilling repeat double in the CSL for Doxa Italia.
Goals:
#1 – Derk Droze
#2 – Derk Droze
#3 – Devon Toohey
#4 – Steve Chirgwin
1. Brian Burdue
2. Eric Meister
3. Eddie Pinto
4. Trevor Persson
5. Devon Toohey
6. Josh Tudela
7. Tai Doan
8. Ricky Figueroa
9. Steve Chirgwin
10. Derk Droze
11. Sean Lockhart
12. Ilia Nazarov
13. Brandon Avery
14. Bryan Byrne
15. Dave Adams
