Cape chalks up 2nd shootout win
Twice in two weeks, Cape Coral junior goalkeeper Daniel Villamil has saved a victory for the Seahawks in the boys’ soccer playoffs.
The first came in the District 4A-11 quarterfinals against Ida Baker. Cape won the penalty kick shootout 4-3 to record a 2-1 victory and the right to keep playing postseason games.
Tuesday night, Villamil did it again in the Region 4A-3 semifinals against Golden Gate. Villamil made nine saves in regulation and two overtime periods, but none were as crucial or as spectacular as the one he made on the Titans’ fifth and final penalty kick to preserve a 4-3 tally in the shootout for a 2-1 win.
Villamil dove to his right and smothered the ball to send the Seahawks to the Region 4A-3 finals where they face the Lakewood Ranch Mustangs at 7 p.m. Friday at Dave Warkentin Field.
“I was very jubilant,” said Villamil, who was swarmed beside the south net by teammates and Cape students who rushed onto the field to join the celebration. “I just tried to focus on the penalty kicks.”
The Seahawks (22-1-3) are in the regional finals for the first time in school history. They need to win three more games to claim their first state championship.
If they face any more penalty kick shootouts in the next three games Seahawks coach Aldo Nardiello said, “We have a lot of confidence after having been through two of them.”
Shooting penalty kicks are just as nerve-wracking for shooters as for keepers saving them.
“Rule No. 1 is not to overpractice,” said Nardiello. “You don’t want them taking dozens and dozens of PKs. You start thinking about them and it starts playing mind games with you.”
Choosing who takes the penalty kicks is more of a gut feeling than a science.
“You want more experienced players taking them,” said Nardiello. “Who’s having a good night, who is feeling it or who wants to do it. You also look for volunteers. Seniors usually want to step up and (junior) Ben Feakins (who came off the bench to replace Nathan Stone when he got injured) wanted to shoot one. You also tend to go with your shooting personalities, but remain flexible and open each night. You must read the body language.”
Practicing penalty kicks is like shooting three-pointers in basketball – with and without defensive pressure.
“The dynamics of penalty kicks have changed in recent years,” said Nardiello. “Now, the goalkeeper can slide side to side. It used to be they could not move off the line, which made it more difficult. The percentage is more on the side of the keeper, who can pick a side and stick with it. Sometimes good goalkeepers make the best penalty kickers because they tend to have icy nerves.”
Players are taught to pick a low corner and not change their mind.
“The low corner is the hardest for the keeper to reach,” said Nardiello. “High to the corner, the keeper can still get there.”
Not long ago, even in the World Cup, tie games were decided by a coin flip.
“Some people still don’t like the penalty kick way to decide a game,” said Nardiello. “It’s much better than a coin flip because it’s still an execution of skill and of nerves in the keeper and the shooters.”
Junior Caio Amaral put the Seahawks on the scoreboard just before the end of the first half with a swift-kick goal at the top of the penalty box.
The Titans (21-2-3) tied the game 1-1 with a goal in the eighth minute of the second half with the wind at their backs.
In the second overtime, Villamil made one crucial save on a rainbow shot that he tipped just over the crossbar at the peak of his vertical leap to save the game for the moment.
Paolo Acosta, Amaral and Feakins each scored on the Seahawks’ first three PKs.
The Titans’ third shooter hit the left post for the first miss.
Ronald Lind’s shot was saved by Titans keeper Mauricio Ramos. The Titans then converted their fourth PK to tie the shootout at 3-3.
Up stepped senior Andrew Gonzalez for the Seahawks’ fifth and final PK. He cooly sent the ball inside the left post for the 4-3 winner. Villamil’s only save in the shootout then preserved the victory.
“That was my first PK this season,” said Gonzalez, who was stellar all night on the defensive back line. “I try to not be too emotional about them. I used to take PKs a lot in club soccer. I’ve managed to do well under those pressure situations.”