PORT ORCHARD, WA—Port Orchard Football Club scored a 5-3 victory over Sporting International on Sunday July 7 at Kitsap Bank Stadium to climb into second place in the Cascadia Premier League Rainier Division. The win brought POFC level on points with Sporting and the 2 goal margin helped the home side in the tiebreaker goal differential.
POFC gaffer Patrick Leonard says “We knew if we got the result it would put us in the driver’s seat for the playoff spot. We know this club deserves to be there and more than anything else, this support deserves to be back in a postseason weekend.”
Port Orchard can clinch a playoff spot by winning its final two matches and continuing to knock in goals. The next match comes up on Thursday July 11 at Eastside FC in Central Park Issaquah at 7 PM.
The match was played in 96 degree heat in the stands and temps well over 100 on the pitch. Leonard credits the fans for inspiring the squad. “To still have a support pushing us on, in that heat and those conditions, it really played a factor on the day. The support were fantastic and in the end I’m glad we could give them a result they deserved.” 644 tickets were sold for the match.
First Win Against One Of The “Big Boys”
The Rainier Division features a wide array of rosters and clubs. Some being fed by larger adult teams, others able to stock from thousands of youth players. Sporting International recruits from all over the area and has assembled a mature, crafty side of experienced players. Until Sunday Port Orchard had come close but gone winless against sides like this. 4-2 and 5-4 losses to the Tacoma Stars Reserves and a 5-4 loss at Sporting in which POFC blew a 3 goal lead and missed two penalty kicks.
This match had elements of those earlier defeats but it also had elevation from a slew of new players (see match roster above) and the full return of Michael Divano. The Port Orchard bench was electric. Few lapses did not cost a result as the home side dominated possession and kept focused even as Sporting were using antics to draw free kicks and penalty kicks.
The visitors relied on referee calls for all three of their goals. A penalty kick, a free kick and then a second penalty call. To their credit they converted them to stay in the match.
Port Orchard Head Coach Patrick Leonard expected as much and had his players ready. “As a coach, to come into that game and get that result means a lot. We knew that Sporting International didn’t want to let us play soccer,” Leonard says. “We knew they’d walk in and try to break up the play and look for set pieces. To be fair, they do a good job of that, but our guys came out and dictated the play. I thought they were fantastic and I was proud they stood up to the test Sporting gave them.”
“When we first played Sporting,” says Leonard, “the referee on the day fell into their antics and theatrics and even in saying that, we left that game thinking we could have and quite frankly should have gotten the result. This time we walked in knowing they would do the same, and to be fair to them their three goals came from those moments, but the totality of the game was us playing the better soccer. Thankfully on the day that paid off for us.”
Divano and Johnson
Port Orchard led 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 in a crazy first half battle as Divano opened the scoring early and Derek Johnson regained the lead later. It was 3-2 when Divano smashed a strike from the left side and 4-2 at the half after Divano provided for Jake MacKenzie. Johnson got PO to 5 with an early second half strike. See a reel of the goals below.
Gaffer Applauds His Defenders And Midfielders
The goals were coming, but the difference in the match was the play of the mdifield and back line. There were plenty of newer faces in important places. Leonard has worked in recent training sessions to get some cohesion between new arrivals and the rest of the roster. “Austin (Valdez) was incredible for us in goal on the day. Jordan (Hadden) has been fantastic all season but we knew today was a great opportunity for Austin to step in and he was critical to our success on the day,” Pat says.
About the newly formed back line, coach says, “Aidan (Harvey) was typical Aidan and leading by example throughout the game, then to have guys like Seamus Miller and Alex Torres getting their first minutes for PO, they stepped up on the day. I thought Caleb Gilbert out on the left was a standout for us, and I’m so happy he was able to be as impactful as he was. I’ve known of him (coaching against him while at CK) and have loved having the chance to work with him. Our midfield on the day looked different, with Zak Kahn, Derek Johnson and Kolby Juarez playing the majority of the minutes together. They gave everything, and in a tough shift they controlled the game and I thought they were balanced throughout. It was a key to our success on the day.”
Port Orchard continues to knock in goals at an impressive rate. The high standard is something the gaffer notices. “As for our attack,” says Leonard, “we know what we can do going forward. Game after game they show it. I’m proud of them being consistent and taking their chances yet again.”
Arrival
You arrive as a side when you start beating the top sides in your league. Port Orchard FC accomplished multiple feats with the win. They took control of their playoff destiny. They got their first win against a streetwise side stocked with players from the other side of the water. They avenged the earlier collapse in Seattle.
On a day when temperatures approached 100 degrees, Port Orchard FC delivered a scorching performance full of spirit, skill and a growing belief that they belong with the best in the CPL First Division.
Watch the match replay below!