BROOKINGS – Coming off a disappointing 2-2 draw with Mitchell on Tuesday, the Bobcats put together a solid match to beat Sioux Falls Washington, 3-1, on Thursday at Fishback Soccer Park.
“We knew the Mitchell game was a fluke – coming into this game, Washington had its own fluke game against Lincoln – so we knew this one would take on that physical battle – a ‘grudge-match’ feel,” said Bobcat head coach Steve Binkley. “There were lots of fouls; it was a really up-and-down game; and they are a really athletic team so it was a different type of team for us to face in that respect, but I thought our guys embraced that ‘grudge-match’ concept, especially in the second half.
“In the last 20 minutes, I think we came through as the team with more stamina at the end, helping us find bigger runs and put pressure on them. In the second half, (Washington) dominated the first 10 minutes, but at some point we made a shift to put one extra guy forward and I think that helped us get those extra two goals in.
“In terms of composure, getting scored on with one minute left (in the first half) – it’s hard on (our players) and I thought that mentally we came back and showed we were the stronger team in the second half.”
The ‘Cats took advantage of a corner kick opportunity to get on the scoreboard in the 36th minute of play.
Brayden Mallett lofted the corner kick into the box and when the Warrior defense couldn’t clear the ball, Ulises Azuero buried the loose ball to give Brookings a 1-0 advantage with 4:18 to play in the half.
But Washington countered and tied the match with 1:04 on the clock after Shodo Mahamed one-touched a cross past Bobcat keeper Blake Brettschneider.
Midway through the second half, Brookings went back on top when Mohamed Ismail found the back of the net off an assist from Daniyil Potapenko to make it 2-1.
The Bobcats added an insurance goal five minutes later when Potapenko scored off an assist from Issac Conrad for the two-goal advantage.
Brookings held a 15-8 edge in shots as Brettschneider finished with five saves in the win.
The Bobcats, 5-1-2 on the season, play host to undefeated Aberdeen Central on Tuesday. The battle for Eastern South Dakota Conference supremacy kicks off at 6 p.m.
