Rangers 3 OPAlliance 1

A pretty nice evening for soccer and OP fields were actually not horrible considering there being zero rain in the passed month or so. I believe we showed with 15 or 16 and OP had 12. We new that OP were going to try to come out strong seeing that if they won out it would be possible for them to make the playoffs if things fell correctly for them.

As per usual our first 5 or so minutes we come out flat and the quickness of these young guns took advantage with some possession and a couple attacks that were cleaned up by our defense fairly easily. After we found our form we started knocking the ball around and play went back and forth fairly evenly. Both teams found chances this half and both goalies made nice point blank saves. I want to say we may have had a couple more but nothing to take away from the youngsters on OP.(Average age couldn't have been over 18 or 19) I want to say about 30 minutes in we get our first goal. Dom Parisi gained possession of a ball just outside the 18 on the right side, made a cut towards the middle and ripped a left footed shot top left corner that I believe their keeper didn't even see. Probably 5 minutes or so after that Ryan Couell broke free down the right side and just blew by his defender played a ball in to Andy Nati at the top right corner of the 18. He sees Chris Hannel just hanging around the PK spot places a nice ball to him and he finishes strong for our 2-0 go ahead before half. Hannels last game with us this season and it was probably his top performance. Half comes shortly after this.

2nd half starts and we came out much stronger. I don't even know where to start with the amount of looks we had this half on goal. Nothing against OP and their hustle this half with only having one sub their legs were tiring and we took full advantage. Although we only capitalized on a corner from Jackson Hamilton that he just floated into the far corner, we should have probably had 5 goals this half. I want to say the goalie stuffed Dom point blank 4 or so times this game. We hit 2 posts this half, and balls just wide of the net as our finishing should have been better. I'd say 8 or 9 solid chances inside that 6 that we just couldn't capitalize on. Even with all the pressure we put on and OP being down 3-0 they never gave up and found a little spell of possession late with I'd say 10 minutes left where one of their strikers hit a ball well from just outside the 18 that was similar to Doms' goal in the first. It hurts giving up late goals and we've done that to Robby on a couple occasions this year. He deserves more clean sheets than what's shown. Game finishes playing out with us having one or 2 more chances and the final whistle blows 3-1.

OP is a solid team, but still too young. In a couple years when they find how to play a little more physical they will be a solid team. Good luck to them as the season finishes out with one game left, but I think they'll find themselves in Championship again next year.

Rangers clinch playoffs and have Lykan left for the final game of the regular season. They'll probably bring their A game next week as it's a do or die game for them.