By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Looking to remain unbeaten, Appalachian FC faced Greenville United June 8 in NPSL competition. The home side relied on late-game heroics to salvage a draw after 90 minutes.
Solid defensive play was the theme of the first half. Greenville had the best opportunity through the first 45, but App FC goalkeeper Charlie Walker was there to smother the loose ball. Both teams remained scoreless into the locker room.
Scoring chances were more frequent in the second half, but both goalies held strong as the game approached the 60-minute mark. In the 59th minute, Walker received a red card resulting in a Greenville penalty kick. Luc Achermann-Stanfield sent the ball past backup goalkeeper Lucas Hatsios, and the visitors scored the game’s first goal.
With time running out and playing down a man, Appalachian seemed to produce their best chances. Forward Elie Bokota had a solo opportunity against the Greenville goalkeeper in the 86th minute, but sent the ball over the crossbar. Defender Rashawn Kellman followed that with a dangerous look in the 89th minute before the ball glanced off the side of his foot and the visitors cleared the ball.
In stoppage time, App FC set up for a free kick. The ball was sent into the chaotic penalty area, and Kevin Arguello was able to poke it just past the Greenville goalie, knotting the game with just minutes to play. The final whistle sounded, and the home side escaped with a draw.
Appalachian FC head coach Dale Parker was happy that his side salvaged a draw, but felt that they could have come away with more.
“Obviously delighted that we built the result out of [the game] under difficult circumstances, to play as long as we did with 10 players and to somehow find a way to equalize” Parker said. “Really, we should have won it. We had enough chances in that second half to win it.”
Parker explained his message to the team after losing his goalkeeper to a red card.
“Keep doing what we’re doing,” Parker said. “They weren’t causing us a problem. I felt we could play with nine men, we could play with eight, and we’d still be the better team. It didn’t bother me that much.”
Appalachian FC concludes their three-game homestand June 15 with a match against 865 Alliance. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex in Boone.
