Doxa 4 – LA Crew 2
Doxa marched into the semi final of the Angels Confrontational league with a solid 4-2 win on Sunday over the LA Crew. Early on, Doxa actually went behind to a goal from former player Arthur Aghasyan but slowly worked their way back into the game before half time. The first goal came after some terrific work from Devin Toohey. Toohey battled with Crew defenders on the corner and won the ball back through hard graft and laid it back to Bryan Bynre. Byrne crossed to Derk Droze who’s header was palmed by the keeper into the path of Gabe Valencia. The striker took it in his stride and drilled it over the Crew keeper. It didn’t take long for Doxa to take the lead. The assist came from an unlikely source – a punt from Doxa keeper Aaron Perez. Droze battle some defenders before the ball bounced between an unrushing Byrne and Crew keeper. After nipping it just over the keeper, Byrne finished. 2-1 Doxa. The 3rd goal was nearly a carbon copy, except Droze got his head on this one and the ball fell in the path of Byrne again. With the keeper on his way out, Byrne chipped the ball over him and into the net.
Doxa started a little slow in the second, and allowed LA Crew back into the game with another goal coming from a former Doxa player, this time Travis Bowen. After some back and forth action, Doxa finally got the 4th they needed to secure the game. Johnny Alcaraz picked the ball up on the right before cutting in and dinking a ball over the top to Eric Meister. Meister flicked the ball across the box to Devin Toohey, who gratefully stroked home his 4th goal in 3 games!
Doxa take on Misioneros this weekend in the Semi-final, the game is slated for a 6pm kick off time.
Goals:
#1 – Gabe Valencia (Derk Droze)
#2 – Bryan Byrne (Aaron Perez)
#3 – Bryan Byrne (Derk Droze)
#4 – Devin Toohey (Johnny Alcaraz, Eric Meister)
1. Aaron Perez
2. Joe Cartlidge
3. Kevin Gallaugher
4. Devin Toohey
5. Nas Koubourus
6. Vardan Adzemian
7. Nate Reeves
8. Derk Droze
9. Bryan Byrne
10. Gabe Valencia
11. Andrew Villalobos
12. Ilia Nazarov
13. Justin Commins
14. Ryan Taylor
15. Sam Allen
16. Steve Chirgwin
17. Johnny Alcaraz
18. Eric Meister
19. Spencer Shortland
20. Kyle Holland
