On Thursday, Redlands FC nearly handed VCF their first season loss, as both teams scored three goals apiece to tie the game.
Pre-game
This match is the 4th meeting between the two sides and the first meeting of the 2024 season. Redlands won two of those three matches, including a 4-1 win at home to clinch the division title. Since their last home game, Redlands FC has been returning from a disappointing Arizona road trip, where they suffered their biggest club loss to FC Tucson (5-1) and divided points with Arizona Arsenal (0-0). Meanwhile, Ventura did not lose a single game in the season, as they played seven games with only one tie. They are first in the southwest division, while Redlands is in fifth.
Game Recap
The match kicked off on a warm but breezy evening at Dodge Stadium. The first 20 minutes saw the hosts and visitors trying to understand each other’s strategies. VCF had more possession, but Redlands defensively prevented them from setting up a shot and made the turnovers into counterattacks.
Once RFC took those opportunities, they built up their attacks and drove into the VCF defense. In the 22′ Redlands, Luka Lukic got fouled in the box and earned a penalty. He converted it to the left, and the hosts now take the lead. They begin to connect passes and get chances at goal with passes to the wings, where the wingers run and chase the ball. Redlands also did well turning over the VCF attack in the final third.
VCF couldn’t win the 50/50 balls, and the buildup of play didn’t follow through. Then, the hosts won another penalty when the VCF keeper fouled Barajas in the box. Luka takes it from the spot and hits it left again to make the Redlands lead 2-0.
A few minutes later, VCF responded with a pass on the 30-yard line and among traffic. Ocean Salari received it, beat the traffic, and blasted it in from the 15-yard line. The score is now 2-1.
As stoppage time ended, RFC won a corner on the right side. The cross went into the box, took a deflection, and Andrew Portis kung-fu kicked it into the net. The half ended 3-1 in favor of the home team.
The second half kicks off as the game intensifies on both sides. Early on, Redlands gets a chance at goal that rattles the top crossbar. They are now playing riskier long passes, defensively stopping VCF at the final third. Then, clearing the danger, the forwards sprint and chase the ball for a counter.
In the 64′, a Ventura and Redlands player fought off a slow rolling ball near the end line of the Redlands box, and it seemed to be a goal kick, as the referee indicated initially. However, he changed the ruling for a VCF corner kick on the left side to the protest of Redlands fans and players. The controversial call gets more scrutiny as VCF sends the ball into the box, and Siddiq Lezzar heads it in. The scoreline is now 3-2.
Here (scroll to 1:33:29), you can see the play in question and decide if the referee made the right call. In an effort to avoid team bias and be objective, the right call was a goal kick. From that angle, you see the struggle between the two players fighting for the ball. Notice closely how the last one to touch it is the VCF player, as the ball’s rotation was still in the velocity of his last touch. Once the RFC defender Cesar Ruvalcaba shieled off the attacker, Cesar’s foot dragged on the turf, thus not touching the ball or altering its velocity rotation.
RFC was still winning interceptions and tackles in the midfield to turnover possession and get some chances at goal. The visitors now had more possession, holding the ball, keeping it on the ground, and slowing the pace down to think of an attack.
Fast forward to the 79′ VCF attacking with a lob pass to the RFC half-circle. A Ventura forward receives and gives a chest pass to Buba Fofanah, who drives it in the box and slots it to the right. The game is all level with ’10 left in the game.
Despite the intensity heating up from both sides and the fans watching in agony, the final whistle blows to a 3-3 scoreline.
In the end, one of the Ventura players’ taunting provoked the entire Redlands team to react, leading to a scuffle that ruined any gentleman’s respect after the game. The result, the controversial call that led to VCF’s second goal and the close feeling of overthrowing the undefeated division leader, soured the fan’s experience at the game. Undoubtedly, the home side felt robbed and frustrated at the series of events.
Postgame
Since the time of this post, Ventura blanked Capo FC 3-0 on Sunday, June 23rd. They have carried their undefeated streak to nine games, registering a 7-0-2 record. They remain 1st in the southwest division with 23 points, 7 points above 2nd place AMSG FC. They travel to Arizona to face FC Tucson on Friday, June 28th.
Meanwhile, the home team has a 3-3-3 record, placing 6th in the division with 12 points. They stay in the IE and host Arizona Arsenal on Wednesday, June 26th.
Here is a clip of Portis’s goal, created by my friend and up-and-coming highlight maker Logan (IG @909rfc_soccer)