Woodland Draw with Olathe United in Epic Table Topping Clash

In one of the best matches of the Select League season, Woodland FC and Olathe United drew 2-2 in a swelteringly hot night in Shawnee KS.

This match featured skillful play in abundance from both teams, great goals, incredible saves, and an edge-of-your-seat finish as both teams scrapped for a crucial 3-points. Here's how it happend.

Woodland rolled into the match with some doubt hanging over them. Their last two matches resulted in a loss in the State Cup final to this very Olathe squad, followed by a 2-2 draw at Real Overland Park. Woodland came into this match all but needing a win against the league leaders to keep their title hopes alive. Woodland were severely undermanned as well, featuring a roster of just 14 players fit for match day. The health of the team has been a rather unfortunate tale all season. Olathe United also were fielding a squad that wasn't their full strength team, though they had a mostly full bench.

The match began very similarly to how the previous two matchups between these two teams have gone. Both feeling each other out, making tactical adjustments as needed. Lots of light jabs, and testing their reach. The first hydration break came and went, and both teams refused to make any tactical changes after the first 30 minutes of the match. The match seemed balanced on a knife's edge as both teams acknowledged that the slightest miscue could blow the match wide open.

It was a moment of brilliance that broke the deadlock just before halftime. Johnathan Young won a header in midfield, where the ball broke out wide to TJ Mikkelson who found himself in acres of space. He took a couple strides forward, and fired in an incredible cross that swept from the right wing, low across the penalty box, and arrived in space to Elluan Martins Gomes, who fired home from a tight angle past the keeper. A massive goal for Woodland, as it was the first time they had scored on Olathe since the final match of last season.

1-0

Halftime

Woodland knew they would have to keep their focus, as Olathe United would pressure them like a hammer. After a cross claimed by Naguib Nassir was rolled out to Johnathan Young, Young switched the field of play to Derrick Carson on an absolute frozen rope of a pass. Carson brought it down, and played Chandler Givler into the channel. Givler stood up his man, glanced over his shoulder, and fed a slide-rule pass into the box to Martins Gomes who skipped past his man and slotted it home at the near post for his, and Woodland's, 2nd of the match.

2-0

Olathe United made a couple changes to their lineup and their formation, desperate to get the 3 points, and put Woodland to the sword at the same time. just 6 minutes after Woodland doubled their advantage, Olathe cut the lead in half through a bit of individual skill from winger Brian Moran. He cut past his man, and fired a shot high and inside the near post. A rare moment that saw Naguib Nassir beaten from open play. Game on, and everything to play for.

2-1

In the 66th', Woodland thought they had extended their lead through another well worked goal, and a hat trick for Martins Gomes, but the linesman raised his flag for offsides, much to the home crowd's chagrin. It was after the final hydration break that Woodland's thin roster began to show. Cramps, a congested schedule, and the weight of short rest on many older bodies left Woodland occasionally down to 10-men as they pushed to get some fluids, and stretch out some calf muscles. They resisted like champions against an onslaught of Olathe attacks, pushing Olathe further than any team in the league or State Cup has pushed them all season.

In the 86th', Olathe would find knot the game up through a goal that can only be described as the reward of persistence, and the fortunes that befall champions. A ball that was saved twice, deflected thrice, and bounced a fourth, fell to the feet of an Olathe striker, and he smashed it home from close range to tie the match up. It would be a flight to the finish as both teams pushed for a winner.

2-2

With the kickoff, Olathe midfielder Noah Conover managed to win possession in the back line, and raced toward the Woodland goal with the match at his feet, only for Naguib Nassir to smother the ball, and preserve the advantage. Then, with 90 seconds to go in the match, Federico Verlicchi broke through the defensive line, and into the box. He appeared to be taken out by a dangling foot from an Olathe defender, but the referee cautioned him for simulation, and awarded Olathe with the free kick. Rory Stenhouse fired a low cross from the Woodland endline towards goal, only for Nassir to punch the ball away to safety at full stretch. Then, with just a handful of seconds remaining in the match, Verlicchi picked up a cleared ball 30 yards out from the Olathe penalty box. Took a long touch toward goal, and let fly.

The ball sailed through the air, with decent movement, but fell straight into the keeper's hands, and the referee blew full time to conclude an excellent, entertaining, and exhilarating match from beginning to end. It was the first time all season that Olathe had dropped points, and the closest they'd come to losing all season. The match leaves Woodland still 9 points behind Olathe with 5 matches left to play for either team. Woodland will need Olathe to collapse in incredible fashion, and win out themselves, to have any hope of catching the league leaders.

Woodland's next match is Tuesday, June 24th, at Blue River Park against 3rd place Southside FC at 7PM.

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