Switchbacks FC Win Historic Match, Move to Conference Finalists in USL Championship
October 30, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC News Release
Sacramento Republic FC’s Jack Gurr takes on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Credit: Isaiah Downing)
COLO – The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC earned a spot in the Western Conference finals tonight, a first in the club’s seven year history, after defeating Sacramento Republic FC 2-1.
With a finals on the line for both teams and home advantage dashed after San Antonio’s decisive defeat of Oakland Roots last night, both teams were fighting for the ability to take on SA in Texas next weekend.
The Switchbacks seemed to hold control of the ball, and had 67.1% of the possession in the first fifteen minutes of the game, but Sacramento Republic would take the early lead in the 18th minute as #5 Dan Casey made a tight play and tucked it in past Switchbacks goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell.
#11 Michee Ngalina was able to tie it up after the half as a pass from Zandi was right footed in just outside the 18 yard box. The match went into halftime tied, but Switchbacks held 67.7% of the overall possession, with 268 passes and an 80% passing accuracy.
Possession would balance out to almost exactly 50% for each team in the second half, resulting in zero goals and forcing the team into extra time. The Switchbacks earned the third and final goal of the match in the 96th minute, as a pass from #13 Echevarria rocketed up the right sideline to trip onto Ngalina’s foot, who was able to notch the ball into the bottom left corner of the net without even breaking stride.
The Switchbacks have guaranteed themselves a match for the Western Conference Finals. They will take on San Antonio FC in Texas on Sunday November 6th.
Post-Game Quotes
Brendan Burke:
Overall thoughts:
“It was a grind, we knew it would be though, they are a [U.S. Open] Cup tested team. I mean, they were the first USL team to go to a cup final in fifteen years so we knew this was a tall order even at home. But I thought we controlled most of the first half, and enough of the second half to have the better chances. Guys stood up and defended like loins all night in the moments where we had to. I can’t ask anymore, its been an unbelievable season.”
On Echevarria earning the start, and his performance:
“That was the one big tactical shift we made this game, was to drop Stevie in for this legs and kind of sit him in Roro’s (Rodrigo Lopez) neighborhood. Even though Roro still got his goal, I thought Stevie kept him out of the game and kept him really quiet otherwise. And in terms of players that make a team tic, Roro’s right at the top for me. Stevie has grown up this season and tonight it all came together for him.”
On building momentum off tonight’s win:
“Next week will be even worse. It’s a really tough test from a physical and mental standpoint. They just kick the ball off the moon, and they have a lot of big bodies that run hard. They’re really effective at it, I’m just saying stylistically, it’s about as far away from what we do as you can get.”
On Michee Ngalina coming on at the right time:
“He’s just special. That’s the only word. There’s a reason the whole locker room calls him Michee Burke, because I don’t know what I’m going to do without that kid.”
Zach Zandi:
On the team’s resilience, and finding Michee for the goal:
“I think it was a total team effort tonight. I thought even in the first half when Sacramento scored we had a great reaction as a team. We just continued to do what we were doing well and it worked out well. I was in the right spot to be able to feed Michee. Elvis [Amoh] made a great run to take the defenders away and Michee did the rest – he’s fantastic. But overall, it’s a big milestone for us. We’re here to win a championship.”
On momentum and confidence for next week:
“They’re a really good team, [Sacramento], but San Antonio was the best team in the league. We haven’t had a whole lot of luck down there, going down there and beating them. So to do that, it’s going to take everyone on the team to step up and get results. But we’re looking forward to it.”
On the defense in the last two matches:
“I think the whole team has been sound defensively. We’ve been really focused on that and, I mean, Stevie had a really good assist to Michee, so he’s doing it on both ends, so credit to him. It’s good stuff all around.”
Steven Echevarria:
On getting the start and it’s impact on your performance:
“It’s arguably the biggest game in [our] playoff history because we haven’t had a second round playoff game in our history I don’t think ever, and to have it at home was special. The whole week I was thinking about tonight and tried to prepare the best I could to help the team win, and I’m glad we did.”
On the build up to get his assist:
“With Michee, you can put the ball almost anywhere on the field. He’s so fast, just put it into space and let him chase it.”
On getting assists in back to back games:
“I mean, I’ve been working on certain things in training all year with the staff. Each player individually has a program that we go through. My personal program was to work on those kinds of things, playing balls behind, and stretching teams out. It’s just a habit I’ve improved on over time.”
On how to use this momentum against San Antonio:
“It’s contagious. Each win, we are high fiving more, we’re smiling more, we’re a little more happy every day in training, and we don’t like those guys. So we want to go beat them.”
Jeff Caldwell:
Overall thoughts on the defense:
“Unbelievable. I mean the first half was probably our best defensive showing of the year. I think we’re going to have to review the goal and see what happened there. I think there’s some confusion about whether or not he was off, either way we could probably be a little tidier. We responded remarkably well defensively, we showed no fragility. The second half we had to weather a lot more but that’s what you have to do to win playoff games. At this point there are only good teams, no, only great teams remaining so we showed an immense level of grit to just do what we needed to do and take the punches and give something back without falling down.”
On momentum going into San Antonio:
“There’s only great teams left, and this [Sacramento Republic FC] is the most seasoned of a team you will find in the second round of the playoffs. They’ve already made a cup run, they’ve gone on the road and already beat two MLS teams I believe. This is every bit the challenge you will face to win a title. Now the plan is to replicate. San Antonio has a great team, you only have to look at what they accomplished in the regular season to see that they’re a great team. We’re a great team so it’s going to be two great teams, and when you get two great teams you get great games with trophies on the line.”
On coming up with the big saves in the late minutes, in front of a home crowd:
“I think in the playoffs and especially in extra time, you really have to root down to the simple things and I felt like I didn’t do anything that was special, the boys did it. We had some huge blocks and we just all did our jobs and that’s the good bit about deep playoff runs, you root down to what’s the most simple and the most fundamental, and if you do that you’re going to be successful.”
On the last game at Weidner Field for 2022:
“There was a moment tonight where I looked around and I had the thought, ‘Wow, this is the loudest this building has ever been. I mean, louder than I’ve ever heard this building.’ That, in these moments, in these circumstances, against a great team, you need that. We fought all season to play playoff games in this building, there’s a reason for that. This building helps us push on, and now it’s our turn to go spoil the party in San Antonio.”
Match Statistics:
Man of the Match: Michee Ngalina
Saves: COS: Caldwell (2); SAC: Vitiello (4)
Goals: COS: Ngalina (37′) (A: Zandi); Ngalina (96′)(A: Echevarria); SAC: Casey (18′)
Discipline: COS: YC: Wheeler (106′), Caldwell (114′), Anderson (120+2′); SAC: LaGrassa (39′), Gurr (45+’), Casey (55′), Martinez (66′), Archimede (120+2′)
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