Two days after the nation’s Independence anniversary, the Knights saw their first-half fireworks and heroics change hands, and it took a late penalty by Juan Guerra to free themselves from
New Jersey
’s brave comeback at home.
The strike in the 65th minute came off a foul on a charging Hemir Niebles on the right of the Rangers box. Niebles tumbled after the fierce hit that had his sister-in-law Katrina Hernandez grimacing as she watched with the star midfielder’s 4-year son, Keaton. “I told him daddy’s gonna be okay … he’s gonna be rewarded, it’s part of the game, but personally I think there should have been a card for it. Anyways, they won and we are excited,” offered the 15-year old who said she wholeheartedly supports the Knights and “try to be at every home game.”
The victory is the second over the Rangers (2-9-2; 8 pts.) following a 4-goal shutout the Knights (7-2-4; 25 pts.) inflicted in
New Jersey
on June 21st. This game was rescheduled after a rainstorm sent the teams packing without a kick-off on June 14th.
Smarting from a 3-3 tie away to Westchester Flames (June 28th) that effectively pushed them to second on the table, the Knights had a changed starting-11, including new striker Julio Cesar DosSantos, faithful defender Diego Velazquez and midfielder Matia Damiani who returned after being away on work commitments in Hong Kong.
After a few lukewarm early raids,
Brooklyn
turned up the steam and were ‘rewarded’ in the 9th minute. DosSantos received a pass from fellow forward Sebastian Alvarado and slotted toward goal where, instead of clearing the ball, Rangers stout defender Andrew Fraser redirected it into the net.
More build-ups followed, highlighted by classic chemistry in plays by DosSantos, Alavarado and midfielder Frank Alseci. Not to be outdone, Guerra, Niebles and defender Gabriel Ortega got in deft shots that went just off the mark or to the Rangers’ custodian. The visitors’ first foray into the Knights’ box was a breakaway by Chad Bennett whose shot went straight to goalie Chris Antonino advancing from his line in the 18th minute.
Three minutes later, Velazquez went outstretched in from of his goal to steer away a cross by Rangers’ Will Lee, to safety as the Knights’ defense was unexpectedly breached.
Brooklyn
’s second strike came in the 23rd minute when Damiani channeled a Niebles’ corner-kick along its right-angled passage into the net. “It was good to get that goal so early on my return to team.” said the day’s captain who is a week 8 ‘Team of the Week’ member.
Ten minutes later, DosSantos scored the Knights’ third goal off a Niebles assist. This was immediately after Rangers brought on three substitutions including their eventual goals scorer, forward Dritan Sela. For the rest of the half little changed as Brooklyn continued to control the game, causing
New Jersey
to openly welcome the halftime whistle.
“I think we played the first half good with the result at three-zero,” Balsamo later remarked. “In the locker room I told our guys for the second half to keep possession of the ball and to control the field.”
Just before the resumption an NYPD chopper hovered its salute in two ‘fly-overs’ the stadium. Then the Rangers’ glee extended as the dominance dime flipped in their favor. First, they matched the Knights in counterattacking, before being rewarded with a double strike in the blink of an eye. In the 60th minute, Sela converted from an Adam Kelemet pass. A minute later, a carbon copy registered their second strike, sending the game into increasing interest. “When they scored that goal it was a little shaky, a little tense on the field, but we played for the win,” Balsamo said later.
Fortunes fluctuated as both teams handed each other some tense moments after successful build-ups.
Brooklyn
then reclaimed the upper hand through creative midfield plays, with one resulting in the breakaway by Niebles on the right flank leading to the infringement and penalty.
Breathing easier with a two-goal pad,
Brooklyn
’s seeming smugness allowed a surge by three Rangers who pounced on a lone Javier Gonzalez in defense. Kelemet, midfielder Mike DelGuerio and Sela triple-teamed him with short passes before Sela sealed his feat with a tap that trickled into net from 10yds out on the right of a hapless Antonino.
It was the 74th minute and the Division’s cellar dwellers looked like they were going to deny
Brooklyn
’s ride back to the top. They tried with another Sela shot, this time from further out, but it was brilliantly saved by Antonino who now was ‘working overtime’.
On one occasion Antonino quickly responded way outside his comfort zone and sent DosSantos on a solo breakaway run before he was taken down a yard outside the Rangers’ box. Then Niebles got a brutal tackle sending him writhing in pain. Vehemently voicing his irritation, he shared the caution card fate with his invader, Alan McClintock, making it three issued by referee Brian Dunn.
Shortly after, it was Niebles and his Brooklyn Knights teammates who would have the glee to hear Dunn’s final tweet. As they shook hands with their guests, they knew their joy was for the win, and more importantly, their reappearance at the division’s summit.
