Royals settle for a point at home in gripping 3-3 draw against Southside.

Starting XI vs Southside FC. Jake Hilpertshauser made his starting debut.

A thin and depleted Royals team went into the second match of a grueling 7-day span where they will play 3 matches, two against the 2nd and 3rd place teams from last season, and were held at home by a resilient Southside team.

Woodland came into this match down at least four starters, and have yet to field their ideal XI this season due to injuries. Despite all this misfortune, Woodland came into this match in 2nd place in the league, and eager to prove their mettle yet again.

They started with aplomb, pressuring Southside's goal early, earning corner kicks, and creating turnovers deep in the attacking third. In the 10th minute, Chandler Givler found Brett Jackson with an excellent through ball that split the defense. Jackson outpaced his marker, cut it back across the goal, and fired. His shot was deflected by Noah Leonard right to the feet of Tj Mikkelson, who fired home from 6-yards out.

WFC 1-0 SSFC

Southside were not going to let the game be one-sided. After a foul near midfield, Ramiro Vazquez took the free kick immediately and dropped a perfect pass to the feet of Trey Berman who beat the offsides trap, settled it, and fired just wide of the near post. An uncharacteristic miss for the deadly winger. The miss would be punished just a minute later on the ensuing possession as Woodland marched down the right wing, and Chandler Givler again played Brett Jackson into space. Jackson cut it back, found the darting run of Federico Verlicchi through the middle, settled it, and Verlicchi fired it past the keeper to double their advantage in the 24th minute.

WFC 2-0 SSFC

Just 3 minutes later, Southside would again show their deadly ability. On a corner kick, David Marshall found himself wide open on the back post, only to fire his volley directly into Luke Heaton's hands. Late in the half, the Royals would have a chance to extend their lead as Jackson once again broke through the offsides trap, but a heavy touch took the ball away from him and into the grateful arms of the keeper. Disaster would strike just moments later when a turnover deep in the Royals' half resulted in an excellent pass from David Marshall who found Try Berman ghosting across the top of the box. He controlled well, and back-heeled a pass into the path of Guilherme Caldes who lashed it home.

WFC 2-1 SSFC

Halftime

Woodland's excellent work they had done to start the match would be completely undone when, early in the 2nd half, Tate Lancaster was bundled into from behind by Southside substitute Romario Harding. Tony Rangel picked up the loose ball and rounded Luke Heaton in goal to tap it in for the tie.

WFC 2-2 SSFC

Woodland almost handed Southside another goal when a free kick was taken lazily in their own half that Trey Berman latched onto, and Hilpertshauser raced back to block just in time. Southside were gaining steam throughout the 2nd half, and it took a last ditch tackle from Diego Mendoza to block a low cross from Tony Rangel after an excellent counter attack. Rangel almost added a 2nd goal to his tally when he managed to break through the Woodland defence, only to fire his shot wide after being pressured by Carson.

The match was end to end as both teams pressed for the winning goal. Both clubs knew the importance of 3 points. With less than 10 minutes on the clock, Federico Verlicchi stepped up again to fire Woodland in front. He collected a ball laid off to him by Diego Mendoza from a turnover, took a touch into space, and fired a laser beam of a shot into the bottom corner.

WFC 3-2 SSFC

Southside would equalize almost a moment later when a through ball sliced through the Woodland defence. Rangel crossed it low, and Berman fired toward goal, only to be blocked by a sliding leg from Mendoza to preserve the lead. But that would not last long. 2nd half sub Romario Harding dribbled down the wing, beat his man, and curled an effort into the far post adroitly to knot it back up.

WFC 3-3 SSFC

Right at the death, a Southside turnover saw Verlicchi through on goal with only the keeper to beat. Verlicchi tried to lift it over the keeper, and but for a finger tip from Ryan Neill, the Royals would have won it with one of the last kicks of the game. The ball rolled out for a corner, and the match ended with things all square.

Woodland ended match day 5 at 10 points, 3-1-1, still in 2nd place in the league. The Royals travel to Happy Rock Park in Gladstone, MO, to take on Northland FC and their potent offense.

You can watch the replay of this match here on our club youtube channel.

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