Classical boys beat English in final few minutes 3-2

LYNN – In a rematch of the city tourney final, where Classical won in a shootout, the Rams came from behind in the final seven minutes to score twice and pick up their fourth win in this young season. Classical defeated English, 3-2.Coach Joe Skahan brought his veteran ballclub into the clash with the Bulldogs with a 3-1-1 (2-1 NEC) record. Of his nineteen players, fourteen are seniors and have been battle-tested in the wars in the NEC.Kerry King’s Bulldogs have a record of 3-2-1 (2-2 NEC). They are led by Mubarak Nyang, who was an NEC all-star last year as a junior. King has moved Nyang from midfield to striker to take advantage of his remarkable skills and speed. He could be the best player in Lynn this year.Skahan said before the game, “We are coming together as a team, and we have a shot at the title. Peabody, English and our team all have a good shot at it.”King agreed, saying, “This is the first time in many years that both English and Classical are both strong. We are starting a new keeper, Daniel Cordoba, tonight.”The first fifteen minutes were like two fighters testing each other out. In the 16th minute, English broke in on Classical keeper Jeremy Dorson.Gabe Smith crossed the ball to Kevin Garduno at the six-yard line, and he headed it over Dorson towards the goal. A Classical defender attempted to clear the ball off the line, but missed the ball, and it rolled across the goal line for the first goal of the game.In the 22nd minute, Classical tied the score at 1-1.Doodley Alavidor carried the ball deep into the left corner and dropped the ball back to Christian Lopez, who was set up in the arc. He one-timed the ball at the net and it went in under a diving attempt by Cordoba.In the 39th minute, Nyang put on the show of the night as he picked up an errant clearing pass about forty yards from the Classical goal. With a series of stops and starts and reverses, he left the Classical defenders in his wake, and with the keeper at his mercy, he feathered a shot over the keeper’s head and under the crossbar to make the score English 2, Classical 1. The half ended a few seconds later.The second half started with both teams flying up and down the field. Both teams substituted liberally and kept the pressure on both keepers, who were forced to make numerous saves.With seven minutes to go, it was looking like English was getting even for the loss in the City Tourney. Then Classical struck.All the damage was done by one player, junior Miguel Castro. To score a goal unassisted is one thing, but to score two of them in seven minutes is remarkable. Castro tied the game with seven minutes to play when he stole a pass and beat the keeper to the short side. After the restart, Classical took the ball deep into the English end, where English put the ball over its own end line for a corner kick. Castro took the kick from the left corner and put the ball into the net over the hands of the keeper.With three minutes to play, Classical had come back to take the lead, 3-2. It held on as time ran out and won 3-2 to raise its record to 4-1-1 (3-1 NEC). English drops to 3-3-1 (2-3 NEC).