Motagua New Orleans vs Biloxi City FC

Recap

When the schedule for the 2016/17 GCPL season was announced, the Blackjacks must have thought they couldn’t have been dealt a worse hand (pun intended). With the withdrawal of the Lake City Gamblers, they found their first two opponents to be two-time GCPL (formerly LPL) champions, CD Motagua of New Orleans and NPSL side, the Shreveport Rafters

However, Biloxi City took to the GCPL like a duck to water. Within the first 5 minutes, Patrick Grafton initiated a counter attack, bursting through the center of the field. Grafton then sent a through ball down the CD Motagua right hand side to Romar Smith, who took the ball down and delivered a low driven ball back to Grafton who turned and, on the spin, curled the ball into the top right hand corner.

The hosts, who had looked calm and slick on the ball, look stunned after going behind and took a few minutes to get back into rhythm. It didn’t take too long for them to get back in their stride and the majority of the first half saw Biloxi City pinned in their own half.

The breakthrough for the Motagua Blue Eagles came around the 25th minute through their star man, Reese Wilson. The number 9 received a ball on the edge of the box, turned and fired it low to the bottom right hand corner, leaving goalkeeper Kyle Gifford helpless.

The remainder of the first half saw Motagua pushing for a second to give them the lead but the Biloxi defense held strong and kept the teams level at the break

The second half began with Biloxi City looking much more comfortable on the ball but Motagua’s attacking assets were still pushing hard for more goals. Shortly after a Reese Wilson effort cannoned off the bar, Biloxi City gave up a dangerous free kick on the edge of the box, from which the Blue Eagles took the lead; Fernando Vargas of Motagua curled a low effort which took a full stretch save from Gifford but unfortunately he parried the ball straight into the path of the on-rushing PJ Lynch, who had a simple tap in to make the score 2-1.

Gifford was called into action soon after as a result of a superb lofted effort from Motagua’s Reese Wilson but this time he was equal to it with a sublime save.

Motagua continued to have good chances and their third goal of the night came near the 70th minute. A pass to Reese Wilson saw him flick the ball past his marker and with just the keeper to beat he passed it low into the back of the net.

The game looked like it was as good as finished but Biloxi’s Michael Cooper had other ideas. Some good pass and move play between super subs Orazio Digesu and Andrew Hilton ended with the ball being given to Cooper with some space in front of him. Cooper hit a 25-yard rocket into the side netting of the Motagua goal and the dazed Blue Eagles struggled to find their rhythm from that point on.

Biloxi City had some good chances to get back on a level footing with Motagua, one of the best chances fell to star youngster Romar Smith who was provided with an exquisite cross-field pass from strike partner, Cooper but was unable to get his shot past the keeper.

However, their persistence paid off when the strike pair switched roles. Romar Smith got his second assist of the night with a through ball to Cooper who kept his shot low and got it just under the arm of Motagua stopper, Connor Jones.

With the game tied up, you would have thought that Biloxi City would be happy to take a point home, but Head Coach Sinisa Vukadin had different ideas. With the wind in their sails, Biloxi City continued to attack with the best chance coming to Olaide Yusuf who was the target of a long ball played by Orazio Digesu. Yusuf let the ball bounce and tried to power a header past the keeper from about 10 yards out but, with arguably the best save of the night, the Motagua keeper stuck an arm out and somehow managed to pat the ball down away from danger.

Both teams had a couple of other half-chances but the game ended 3-3, which gives the Blackjacks their first point of the season.

FINAL SCORE: CD Motagua of New Orleans 3 – 3 Biloxi City FC