Ansbach goalkeeper Kennedy Lange grabs onto the ball just before AFNORTH's Selah Skariah can kick it, while Abigail Castillo tries to help Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the DODEA European Division III girls soccer championships at Landstuhl, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
LANDSTUHL, Germany – It was hard to figure out who enjoyed Spangdahlem’s boys’ soccer victory Tuesday more: the Sentinels or coach Javier Graham.
Spangdahlem topped Brussels 2-1 on the second day of the DODEA European Division III boys soccer championships, earning a spot in Wednesday’s semifinals.
“A lot of disappointment the last two years,” a clearly emotional Graham said after the contest. “It’s just overwhelming. The kids could see how happy I am, so I think that made them even happier.”
And it was an unlikely goal that broke a 1-1 tie and made the difference. Mason Tieyah boomed a high, arcing kick from almost midfield with most of the second half completed. The ball hit the crossbar, bounced down and then bounced again inside the goal.
Spangdahlem’s reward? A matchup against top-seeded AFNORTH in one of Wednesday’s semifinals. Ansbach plays Alconbury in the other, with the two winners squaring off in Thursday’s championship at Ramstein High School.
The Lions took care of business Tuesday, routing the Dragons 6-0. Christian Barone scored twice, and Santiago Apante, Nathan Goldsmith, Rodrigo Mojeda and Lucas Czapansky added goals.
Needing a win to grab its pool’s top seed, Ansbach clinched its spot with a 7-0 triumph over Baumholder. Daymien Abitua scored three times, Daeveon Browne added two more and Jack Lovallo and Orlando Roman also found the net.
The victory allowed Ansbach to avoid a battle with AFNORTH in the semifinals.
“I’d much rather play them Thursday,” Cougars coach Paul Rauscher said. “AFNORTH is a juggernaut.”
The Lions defeated the Cougars 7-0 in Ansbach during the regular season.
“If we’re fortunate enough to get to Thursday’s finals and they are there as well, I think we’ll show them a bit of a different team,” Rauscher said.
Brussels' Cade Wedekind kicks the ball through the legs of Spangdahlem's James Idems in the Sentinels' 2-1 victory Tuesday, May 21, 2024, that clinched the team a spot in Wednesday's semifinals at the DODEA European Division III boys soccer championships at Landstuhl, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Brussels' Cade Wedekind sends a free kick past a wall of Spangdalem defenders towards a group of onrushing players in the Sentinels' 2-1 victory Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the DODEA European Division III boys soccer championships at Landstuhl, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Ansbach’s Nathan Arrequin tries a shot from long distance in the Cougars’ 6-0 victory over Baumholder on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, that booked them a spot in Wednesday’s semifinals at the DODEA European Division III boys soccer championships. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Ansbach’s Daymien Abitua, who scored three times, sends a free kick toward the Baumholder goal Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the DODEA European Division III boys soccer championships at Landstuhl, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
AFNORTH's Gabriel Hatfield, left, and Alconbury's Anthony Sheehan battle each other and the rain Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the DODEA European Division III boys soccer championships at Landstuhl, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
AFNORTH's Christian Barone lofts a shot into the goal Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the DODEA European Division III boys soccer championships at Landstuhl, Germany. Barone's team won 6-0 over Alconbury and will play in the semifinals Wednesday. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Sigonella's Isabelle Belleza takes a shot before Brussels' Kristen Baird can get to her in the Jaguars' 2-0 victory Tuesday, May 21, 2024, that guaranteed them a spot in the championship game of the DODEA European Division III girls soccer championships. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Sigonella's Ryleigh Denton has her shot near the goal defect off Brussels' Abigail Halttunen Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the DODEA European Division III girls soccer championships at Landstuhl, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
AFNORTH's Selah Skariah sends the ball - and a little turf - toward the goal Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in the Lions' 6-0 victory that clinched a spot in Thursday's championship game against Sigonella in the DODEA European Division III girls soccer championships at Landstuhl, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Sigonella, AFNORTH girls roll on
In the four-team girls’ tournament, Sigonella and AFNORTH both improved to 2-0, clinching spots in Thursday’s championship game.
The two teams will meet in the final round-robin match Wednesday and then play again the following day.
AFNORTH finished its day in a steady rain and kept Ansbach keeper Kennedy Lange under a steady barrage of shots. Finja Liebing and Selah Skariah each had two goals and Blanca Briz Susin and Isabella Guest added one each in a 6-0 victory.
Sigonella wasn’t as dominant on the scoreboard, but the Jaguars spent almost all the match in Brussels’ side of the field in a 2-0 victory. Ryleigh Denton set up Isabelle Balleza for one goal and Charlize Caro stole the ball from a defender and fired it in from long range for the second.
The Lions and Jaguars haven’t met this season.
