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By Alex Frazier
Sometimes it takes a little luck.
In their first match of the year, Cheltenham and Plymouth Whitemarsh played 100 minutes of scoreless soccer.
Monday night the two teams were on course to repeat that. For 60 minutes neither team could put the ball in the back of the net, though both had some chances.
Finally, the Panthers’ Doug Roman launched a cross from about 35 yards out on the right side.
Bingo.
What started as a cross ended as a shot as the ball floated into the top left corner of the goal out of the reach of PW keeper Will Ruppenthal.
“It was probably my luckiest goal,” said Roman. “I’ve got a couple lucky goals this year, but I’ll take it.”
It was his third goal of the season.
“When I get a goal, it’s special,” he said.
The 1-0 win sealed second place in the league for the Panthers and likely a return to the district playoffs.
“This team (PW) is very well coached defensively,” said Cheltenham coach Nick Zegestowsky. “Their shape in the back is very frustrating, especially to a team like us that likes to attack.
“It was two games in a row where either team could have won. We got a decent cross that ended up in the back of the net. That’s what we teach our boys to do. Get the ball wide, hit a diagonal ball and see what happens on the back post.”For the most part PW’s defensive unit of Mike Ciesielka, Cameron Scott and Kyle Hatfield held the Panthers off. Midway through the first half, Ciesielka cleared a ball with Ruppenthal down.
In the second half, Ruppenthal beat both Dmitry Zherdev and Josef Mang to 50/50 balls to give the Colonials a chance to tie the game, but the offense couldn’t generate any shots.
“We knew they were going to make it tough for us to score,” said Roman. “We knew if we could just hold them, we’d get a chance and make sure to put one in.”
The Panthers had several good chances especially in the first half but missed the frame. Or hit it.
Jeff Henstenberg and Zherdev both missed the goal just wide of the left post on long shots. And Kyle Magee banged a volley off the crossbar with just over three minutes left to the half.
“I told our boys at halftime, ‘Be patient, be patient, be patient and good things are going to happen,’” said Zegestowsky.
After Roman scored his goal, Zherdev had a breakaway on Ruppenthal, but booted his shot wide of the goal.
“That’s been the story of our year, being able to finish,” said Roman.
While Roman experienced a bit of luck, PW’s Kastro Fazliu was snake bitten. Twice he was fouled in the box, but no call was made. And 15 minutes into the second half he scored a goal that was waved off because of offsides.
“Sometimes you get them and sometimes they go against you,” said PW coach Nico Severini.
PW's best shot of the night came off the foot of Fazliu, who took a pass from Matt Sabin and blasted it at the Cheltenham goal 16 minutes into the first half, but Dan Marsden managed to get his hands on it and deflect it.
“We had one nice shot on goal,” said Severini. “The goalie made a huge save. We had a clear penalty shot in the first half that the referees missed and a clear one in the second half and a goal that they called back that wasn’t offsides. I don’t know what else I can ask from a team.
“Our guys played hard, they played strong. They tried to be creative.”
The Panthers have one league game remaining against Norristown and a non-league game Friday against C.B. West.
Last year Cheltenham was the 27th seed in the playoffs and lost in the first round. This year Zegestowsky is hoping to get a higher seed, though he knows it will still be a tough game.
“Tonight was our playoff game,” he said. “The boys took the bull by the horns. This is my fourth year here, and every year we’ve made progress. We started my first year with one win and last year made it to the playoffs and we’re hoping to make some waves this year.”
PW, meanwhile, is hoping to be considered for a playoff spot. The Colonials at the very least will have to win their final two league games against Springfield and Norristown to be considered.
“Ideally we’d like to win both and leave it up to the committee if we get in or not,” said Severini. “I think three teams deserve to go through from this league.”
Cheltenham 1, Plymouth Whitemarsh 0
Goals: Doug Roman (C)
Shots: Cheltenham 10, Plymouth Whitemarsh 7
Saves: Dan Marsden (C) 7, Will Ruppenthal (PW) 3
Corners: Cheltenham 1, Plymouth Whitemarsh 1
Fouls: Cheltenham 11, Plymouth Whitemarsh 12
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