Battle of the Undefeateds

Carey and Garden City both came into the Nassau Conference 2 match undefeated with identical 5-0 records and tied for first place. Carey having surrendered just two goals on the season, while scoring 17. At the other end of the pitch, Garden City had scored 21 goals and were scored upon only two times. It was definitely a matchup of two strong teams that had no trouble containing their opponent with stifling defenses.

From the first whistle a casual observer could see that this was going to be a tightly played game with equally physical teams competing. In their first five games both Garden City and Carey had dominated their opponents with skill and speed.

Garden City likes to play a controlled short passing game building their offense from the back. Typically they can get opponents to tire quickly as they chase the ball. Today’s game was different in that they were matched up with a team that not only matched their speed but also matched their stamina. As GC tried to work the ball around the field they were constantly under pressure from a quick Carey team.

With a strong backline made up of seniors Colin Gervasi, Nick Balsamo and Nick Sagos and Junior Jason Malovich, plus an active keeper, Gino Cervoni, Carey managed to control the GC attack time after time. Whether it was Balsamo running down dangerous Trojan forward Travis Thompson or Gervasi putting the clamps on Finn Connolly, Garden City’s attack was definitely feeling the heat.

The first break of the game fell Carey’s way as they pressured the Trojan defense inside the box and forced keeper James Castoro off his line. As he came out to punch the ball out he inadvertently hit a Carey player and a penalty kick was awarded at the 36:21 mark of the first half. Alessandro Perna stepped up to the spot and calmly rifled a shot past the outstretched hands of Castoro and Carey had a 1-0 lead.

Garden City had several chances on dead ball fouls outside the box, but with a tricky wind the ball either sailed over the end line or keeper Cervoni came out to grab it. The best chances for the Trojans came on corner kicks, one from each side. Thompson tried to drill a low ball from the right that was swept away by the Carey defense before it could reach an oncoming Tommy Poz. While Connolly tried a service into the box from the left that found the head of Carey's Nick Sagos, who cleared the ball before Nick Bernieri could get to it.

Although Carey couldn't manage a sustained attack, with a one goal lead they continued to pressure the ball and had several chances on the counter attack. Garden City keeper Castoro was up to the challenge and calmly turned away the attacks of Perna and forwards Tyler Lanci and John Stavropoulos.

As the halftime whistle sounded GC coach Paul Cutter had some work to do as the Trojan hadn't been down in any of their previous games. Imploring the boys to get back to the style of play that put them in the finals of Nassau County the previous four years, Garden City came onto the field pushing the ball up the field.

On the opposite sideline, Carey coach Matt Princi made sure his boys knew they were going to have to battle just as hard in the second half if they wanted to come out on top. And his boys reacted with a half that showed their spirit by continuing to challenge every pass and through ball.

Princi's defense stood up to the continuous challenges of Christian Pica and Travis Thompson running the sideline, while thwarting Tommy Esposito, Poz, Bernieri and Connolly as they tried to get off a clean shot.

With under 18 minutes remaining in the game, keeper Cervoni punched out another corner kick and Carey was off on a counter-attack up the left sideline. And from about 25 yards out Alessandro Perna saw an opening as Castoro was off his line and chipped a shot over the keepers outstretched hands for his second goal of the game. As the Carey sideline erupted, Garden City saw their chance at an undefeated season slipping away.

Pressuring to get on the score board, GC's best chances came on a chip into the box by Spencer Caporicci that Cervoni grabbed before Bernieri could get to it. Then with eight minutes left in the game Tommy Poz created an opening and fired a shot that just went wide of the goal. And with only five minutes remaining Robert Patrissi made a run and rifled a shot with the outside of his foot but it was right at the keeper. And the last chance came off the foot of Thompson as his shot from about 25 yards skimmed the top cross bar and sailed out of bounds.

Carey came into the match with a perfect record and as they surrounded keeper Cervoni they would return home with that perfect record intact and a match at Calhoun on Wednesday. For Garden City, it will be off to Roslyn on Wednesday to recapture the magic that had brought them into this game on a five game winning streak.