Seahawks advance to Class 4A soccer final
TAMPA – One down, one to go.
The Cape Coral Seahawks became the first team in school history to advance to the state championship game in any sport Thursday with a 4-0 victory over Celebration in the Class 4A semifinals in boys’ soccer.
Four different players scored goals for the Seahawks (24-1-3), who found the back of the net three times in the second half.
The Seahawks play for the Class 4A state title at 2 p.m. Saturday against Choctawhatchee at Pepin Stadium on the campus of the University of Tampa.
Kevin Lopera scored what proved to be the game-winner in the sixth minute of the opening half. The Seahawks were awarded a free kick just outside the 18-yard penalty box. Paolo Acosta put the ball down and quickly tapped it ahead near the left post to Lopera, who blasted it past the keeper to the far back corner of the net.
“My first touch of the ball in five games,” said Lopera, who had a six-week suspension reduced to three weeks less than 24 hours before Thursday’s kickoff. “I was excited and knew we would do good. I had confidence in myself and my teammates.”
Celebration (16-2-3) was limited to just two shots on goal, both of those coming in the first half. Seahawks goalkeeper Daniel Villamil saved them both to preserve the shutout.
The Seahawks did not score again until the 12th minute of the second half. That’s when Ronald Lind took a crossing pass from Nathan Stone that caromed off a defender first before he buried it in the net for a 2-0 lead.
“I saw the ball, I saw the opportunity,” said Lind.
Eight minutes later, Caio Amaral received a pass on the left sideline and dribbled 40 yards toward the goal before firing a shot inside the left post past the diving keeper.
With four minutes remaining in the game, Juan Cano bent a free kick from 20 yards around a defensive wall and into the net for the Seahawks’ fourth and final goal.
Frustration started to show with about 10 minutes remaining as four Celebration players earned yellow cards in the final minutes.
“I love standing back and watching these kids enjoy the moment,” said Seahawks coach Aldo Nardiello. “Wherever life takes these kids, they will always have this to look back on. Not many kids get to do that.”
The Seahawks’ recent playoff run has been marked by one-goal wins, penalty kick shootouts and overtimes. That was not the case in the semifinal.
“It’s feast or famine sometimes,” said Nardiello. “Some games the goals just come. It allowed us to play more players. We could give the young kids some exposure to this type of game for the future.”
The Seahawks outshot the Storm 8-2 in shots on goal and 15-11 overall.
“We knew that one goal was not enough,” said Villamil. “We knew we had to come out in the second half more excited than them and with more desire to win.”
Mission accomplished.