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Kicked by a kid, Goats fall to FC Tucson
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FC Tucson Fall Soccer Showcase

Kicked by a kid, Goats fall to FC Tucson

Not by the hair of their chinny-chin-chin: Late goal by 17-year-old Ali gives win over MLS side

  • Chivas USA's Carlos Bocanegra breaks up an attack from FC Tucson's Dakota Collins.
    Larry GauranoChivas USA's Carlos Bocanegra breaks up an attack from FC Tucson's Dakota Collins.
  • Local high school student #22 Sadam Ali with a low shot that goes past the keeper for the game's only goal
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comLocal high school student #22 Sadam Ali with a low shot that goes past the keeper for the game's only goal
  • Sadam Ali celebrates the winning goal.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comSadam Ali celebrates the winning goal.
  • FC Tucson's Dakota Collins
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Dakota Collins
  • FC Tucson's Dakota Collins and Chivas USA midfielder Carlo Chueca.
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Dakota Collins and Chivas USA midfielder Carlo Chueca.
  • FC Tucson's Dakota Collins gets by a Chivas USA defender.
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Dakota Collins gets by a Chivas USA defender.
  • FC Tucson's Dakota Collins takes a shot while Chivas USA's Carlos Bocanegra looks on.
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Dakota Collins takes a shot while Chivas USA's Carlos Bocanegra looks on.
  • FC Tucson's Scott Morrison and Chivas USA's Tristan Bowen
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Scott Morrison and Chivas USA's Tristan Bowen
  • FC Tucson's Dakota Collins
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Dakota Collins
  • FC Tucson's Travis Campbell breaks away from Chivas USA's Jorge Villafaña
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Travis Campbell breaks away from Chivas USA's Jorge Villafaña
  • FC Tucson's Saeed Robinson and Chivas USA's Gabriel Farfan
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Saeed Robinson and Chivas USA's Gabriel Farfan
  • FC Tucson's Isaac Ikyurav
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Isaac Ikyurav
  • FC Tucson's David Clemens
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's David Clemens
  • FC Tucson's Saeed Robinson takes on Chivas USA's Carlos Bocanegra (right) and Lyle Martin.
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Saeed Robinson takes on Chivas USA's Carlos Bocanegra (right) and Lyle Martin.
  • FC Tucson's Edgar Reyna
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Edgar Reyna
  • FC Tucson's Travis Campbell
    Larry GauranoFC Tucson's Travis Campbell
  • Chivas USA players warming up
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comChivas USA players warming up
  • Tucson's Cactus Pricks fan club before the match.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comTucson's Cactus Pricks fan club before the match.
  • Players lined up for the national anthem before the game
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comPlayers lined up for the national anthem before the game
  • Chivas USA huddle before the game
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comChivas USA huddle before the game
  • FC Tucson starts the match
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comFC Tucson starts the match
  • Chivas USA defending a free kick awarded to FC Tucson.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comChivas USA defending a free kick awarded to FC Tucson.
  • #14 Dakota Collins of FC Tucson with the ball in midfield.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com#14 Dakota Collins of FC Tucson with the ball in midfield.
  • #5 Saheed Robinson challenges for the ball in the penalty box.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com#5 Saheed Robinson challenges for the ball in the penalty box.
  • 25 Gabe Silveira with an acrobatic clearance.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com25 Gabe Silveira with an acrobatic clearance.
  • #5 Saheed Robinson has a shot on goal that finds the net, but it's called for offside.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com#5 Saheed Robinson has a shot on goal that finds the net, but it's called for offside.
  • Players react to the offside decision.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comPlayers react to the offside decision.
  • #14 Dakota Collins of FC Tucson with a shot on goal. It goes just wide of the post.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com#14 Dakota Collins of FC Tucson with a shot on goal. It goes just wide of the post.
  • Collins reflects on his missed chance.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comCollins reflects on his missed chance.
  • Scott Morrison of FC Tucson battles for the ball with #33 Lyle Martin of Chivas USA.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comScott Morrison of FC Tucson battles for the ball with #33 Lyle Martin of Chivas USA.
  • FC Tucson with another free kick.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comFC Tucson with another free kick.
  • Gabe Silveira fights for the ball.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comGabe Silveira fights for the ball.
  • #17 Edgar Reina wins an aerial challenge.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com#17 Edgar Reina wins an aerial challenge.
  • #5 Saheed Robison turns on the style against #4 Carlos Bocanegra.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com#5 Saheed Robison turns on the style against #4 Carlos Bocanegra.
  • #14 Dakota Collins fires in a shot that just goes wide of the post.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com#14 Dakota Collins fires in a shot that just goes wide of the post.
  • #23 Dave Clemens against #4 Carlos Bocanegra.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com#23 Dave Clemens against #4 Carlos Bocanegra.
  • #3 Kareem Smith brings the ball out of defense.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com#3 Kareem Smith brings the ball out of defense.
  • Chivas USA try to break down a determined FC Tucson defense.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comChivas USA try to break down a determined FC Tucson defense.
  • A great slide tackle by #14 Bryan De La Fuente on #16 Isaac Ikyurav in midfield.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comA great slide tackle by #14 Bryan De La Fuente on #16 Isaac Ikyurav in midfield.
  • A fierce shot by #14 Bryan De La Fuente is blocked a determined FC Tucson defense.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comA fierce shot by #14 Bryan De La Fuente is blocked a determined FC Tucson defense.
  • Larry Jackson with a goal kick for FC Tucson.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comLarry Jackson with a goal kick for FC Tucson.
  • #4 Carlos Bocanegra attempts a cross-field pass.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.com#4 Carlos Bocanegra attempts a cross-field pass.
  • Chivas USA applying intense pressure with a clean shot on goal. It's saved by #1 Larry Jackson of FC Tucson.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comChivas USA applying intense pressure with a clean shot on goal. It's saved by #1 Larry Jackson of FC Tucson.
  • Friday's match was a hard-fought win at Tucson's new stadium.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comFriday's match was a hard-fought win at Tucson's new stadium.
  • The teams showed good sportsmanship after the game.
    Ricardo Chao/TucsonSentinel.comThe teams showed good sportsmanship after the game.

FC Tucson’s lineup on Friday night featured a number of good college players plus a smattering of ex-pros who have played in leagues all over North America, but it took a high school kid two weeks shy of his eighteenth birthday to give them a win over Major League Soccer’s CD Chivas USA.

Seventeen-year-old Sadam Ali, a senior at Rincon/University High School, scored the lone goal of the match in the 88th minute off of a pass from Ricardo Mardoqueo. Ali had only been put into the game a few moments before with a set of simple instructions from the coach.

“He just told me to go and play. Play hard, go and get a free kick,” he said after the match. “Whatever I can do to win the game.”

“As soon as I hit the corner, I knew Ricardo was going to go,” he said of the goal. “I went behind the defense so he could cross it to me. I imagined it before it happened.”

The team only needed Ali’s goal because Chivas couldn’t score in the inaugural match at Tucson's Kino North Stadium. A fine defensive effort in the first half limited Chivas’s chances, particularly from striker Erick “El Cubo” Torres.

“He (Torres) dropped into midfield. After about 20 minutes we went from three in the midfield to straight up with them,” said Coach Rick Schantz after the match. “I was so impressed with what Kareem Smith was doing at center back with Devon (Grousis) that I thought as long as I kept the back four in we could handle them.”

Schantz also credited midfielders Edgar Reyna and Scott Morrison, a Scottish player who captained Phoenix FC over the summer, with helping keep Chivas off the scoreboard.

“Those six players really carried the team,” Schantz said.

According to Schantz, his best tactics were to trust his players.

“We had a game plan, and I had to believe,” he said. “If I’m calm, the team will stay calm.”

Toia in Rojiblanco

Former FC Tucson player Donny Toia played nearly 60 minutes for Chivas USA. The last time Schantz coached against Toia was the U.S. Open Cup match against Phoenix FC earlier this year. That was also a win for FC Tucson.

“I love the kid. The one thing I said to him is that every time we have big game, I am going to make sure you’re playing for the other team,” he laughed. “He said ‘I don’t know how you guys pull these things out.’”

“I thought he did really well. After the first 10 minutes, he looked nervous,” Schantz said of Toia. “But after that he was just lit. He and (Eric) Avila were really good on the left side.”

Per Major League Soccer rules, Toia, still officially a trialist with the team, could not talk to the press. However, Chivas USA assistant coach Marco Fabian had praise for the Tucson native.

“He’s fine,” he said. “He’s a great player with a great future. We are still observing him to see how he does.”

FC Tucson vs CD Chivas USA

Kino North Stadium

Attendance: 2,414

  • Scoring summary
  • FCT - Sadam Ali (88')
  • Misconduct summary
  • FCT - Edgar Reyna (caution, 44')
  • FCT - Travis Campbell (caution, 71')
  • CHV - Gabriel Farfan (caution, 72')
  • CD Chivas USA: Tim Melia – Lyle Martin, Andrew Ribeiro, Carlos Bocanegra, Donny Toia (Bryan de la Fuente 64') – Carlos Borja (Gabriel Farfan 58'), Carlos Alvárez (Matthew Fondy 58'), Carlo Chueca, Eric Avila, Jose Villafaña – Erick Torres
  • FC Tucson: Larry Jackson – Reid Schmitt, Devon Grousis, Travis Campbell, Kareem Smith – Gabe Silveira (Isaac Ikyurav 66'), Scott Morrison, Edgar Reyna (Ricardo Mardoque 86'), David Clemens (Gavino Carranza 82'), Dakota Collins (Dom Papa 82') – Saeed Robinson (Sadam Ali 86')

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