On Saturday, Atletico Madrid Academia Miami gets an extra-time goal to advance to the UPSL D1 Southeast Conference – Florida South semifinals over ISA.
Pre-game
Before their matchup in the UPSL D1 quarterfinals, both Atletico and ISA have met once before in the regular season; that time back in September, Atletico won 2-1. Atletico would finish the regular season in 2nd place with an 8-4-1 record, scoring 25 and allowing 8. While ISA finished 7th place with a 5-1-6 record, scoring 30 and allowing 23. The boys in red and white had a form of W-L-D-W-D, while ISA’s form was W-W-L-W-L.
Match recap
Both teams were set and ready for the postseason stage on a late, windy Saturday evening in Broward county, Florida. The match would begin, and Atletico looked like the better team from the start. They kept possession with smart body turns to keep the ball from pressure. They would also make intelligent slide tackles that the Miami players aimed for the ball and not foul, resulting in many winning tackles for the transition. Their method of attack had defenders launch the ball from the back to the wing for the strikers to chase the 50/50 ball. For ISA, their first half consisted of many incomplete passes when on the attack. However, their defensive play to Atletico’s kick and run plan went well, with their defenders set up high to play the offside trap. Atletico would have most shots in the half with 9; none challenged the keeper. Overall it was a back and forth affair where Atletico held on to the ball, played the kick and run but couldn’t get the ball behind the net. ISA would save themselves in the final third but couldn’t connect forward to counter punch.
The second half saw a difference between who had possession and who was on the attack. Although Atletico became more intense with their attack and defense in the first 10-15 minutes of the second half, ISA got more coordinated and attacked more in the second half. Their offside trap plan continued to bring success for the boys in yellow, preventing Atletico’s kick and chase plan. Now the team from Miami focused on passing and calculating their attacks. The second half saw more fouls and 50/50 bunch ups in the middle of the field. However, in the 74′ ISA would get a golden opportunity to get a goal on the board when their winger sends a cross from the left, and it lands perfectly on the strikers in-foot alone in the box, but the tap-in goes wide to the left. A play that beat the keeper, and to his relief, that was the only risky shot he had to haggle. Atletico got close in the dying minutes of the regulation time with a corner kick from the right side. One of their players gets a header that pops in the air, and the ISA keeper makes a volleyball save on the top crossbar to keep the game 0-0. The final whistle will blow, and both teams will rest up for 30 more minutes of soccer.
The first ET half saw Atletico knocking on the door with five shots on goal; some were stopped outstandingly by the ISA keeper. It wouldn’t be till the start of the second ET half where the Spanish academy side broke through. In the 107′ Atletico clears an attack from ISA on their final third and rapidly transitions to the attack where the midfielder sends a long through pass to his striker, passing the last two ISA defenders in the center circle as a foot race between the striker and defenders start. Just outside the ISA’s half-circle, the keeper makes a run outside his box to stop the attack, but Miami striker Contreras gets a foot on it before the keeper slides, controls the ball in the box, and places it home. 1-0 for the boys in stripes. They would continue to press and attack for a second goal, and ISA would not have enough time to answer back. Final score 1-0 for Atletico. Atletico Madrid Academia Miami goes through to the UPSL D1 Southeast Conference – Florida South semifinals.
| Stats | Atletico Madrid Miami | International Soccer Association |
| Shots | 19 | 7 |
| On Target | 13 | 5 |
| Corners | 12 | 5 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 1 |
| Offsides | 8 | 2 |
| % Possession | 58 | 42 |
Postgame
ISA’s season would end that Saturday, another postseason falling like their 21′ spring campaign where they lost in the semifinals to Palm Beach Stars U-23 2-1. Atletico advanced to the semifinals and O’shea’s after overpowering Ives Estates Thunder 5-1 and Hialeah City for blanking Weston FC 2-0. All three will wait for the Wednesday matchup of Plantation V Florida Wolves before the semifinals begin.
To see the game in its entirety, you can view the stream provided by our partners Top Site Agency.