Paulo Joao was in the right place at the right time, and Portland High’s boys’ soccer team lives to play another day.
In a Class A South quarterfinal Wednesday night at Fitzpatrick Stadium, the fourth-seeded Bulldogs were thwarted time and again by Seamus Corry, the valiant junior goalkeeper of fifth-seeded Scarborough. Portland couldn’t break through until 90 seconds into the second overtime, after Corry saved a blast from Isaac Rodrigues-Nkanza. The ball fell toward Joao, who calmly headed home the rebound to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 victory.
“I knew I had to make it for my team,” said Joao. “I knew we could not lose this game.”
The Bulldogs (12-2-1) advance to face top-ranked Windham at 6 p.m. Friday, in Windham.
“It was a great soccer game between two deserving teams, and it’s unfortunate that only one of us can go through,” said longtime Portland Coach Rocco Frenzilli.
The Bulldogs went on the attack early, but Corry stood tall. He got a fingertip on a blast from Felisberto Mamuisi in the third minute and deflected it off the far post. He dove to rob Max Kierstead in the fifth minute, then sprawled to deny Brandon Chacon seconds later.
Portland had a 9-1 advantage in shots on goal in the first half.
Just seconds into the second half, Corry picked up where he left off, diving to stop a low shot from Luis Ordonez-Franco. He then made perhaps his most breathtaking save with 11:20 to go in regulation, lunging and stretching out his right hand to stymie Oliveira Nzolakio.
“Seamus was fantastic,” said Scarborough Coach Mark Diaz. “I’m glad other people got to see how well he can do.”
Neither team scored in the first 15-minute overtime, and Frenzilli was concerned his team was tiring. But at the start of the second OT, the Bulldogs returned to the attack and were finally rewarded.
After Rodrigues-Nkanza eluded a defender, he ripped a low shot from Corry’s right. The keeper got a piece of it, but the rebound bounced right to Joao, who only had to head it home.
“The ball chose me and I was just so happy to score,” said Joao.
“I knew Isaac would smash it and Paulo was in the right place,” added Kierstead. “I exploded with emotion and ran right to the student section.”
The Red Storm (10-5-1) started the season 3-3-1, then won six of seven in the second half before downing Marshwood in a preliminary round contest last weekend. They got 18 saves from Corry but could only generate two shots.
“We did a lot of things right tonight and I’m really proud of our effort,” Diaz said. “Portland’s as good a team as I’ve seen and we took them right to the wire. We closed the gap.
“I feel bad for the seniors, but I have to give them credit. They took pride in their work and turned things around for us.”
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