Talamas last-minute heroics lifts Lancers
WINONA LAKE, Ind. – The “Cardiac Kids” struck again on Friday night.
Grace’s men’s soccer team, whose recent history has been filled with late-game magic, added another memorable chapter in a 2-1 double overtime win against Manchester.
Marcelo Talamas played the part of hero on Friday at 1st Source Bank Field. His goal in the 107th minute lifted the Lancers to an emotionally charged 2-1 win over Manchester.
With four minutes left in the second overtime, Cody Boerema send in a cross toward Talamas in the penalty box. Talamas’s header beat the Spartans’ goalkeeper, but his attempt glanced down off the crossbar. Talamas alertly charged to the loose ball and launched himself toward the ball, heading it into the back of the net with 3:42 left in the match.
Grace’s bench came spewing out onto the field as Talamas leaped into the air and pumped his fist in celebration.
The win ends the nonconference season for the Lancers (6-2-1). Grace will open up Crossroads League play on Wednesday at Huntington.
Overall for the match Grace held a dominant 30-7 shot advantage to go along with a 12-4 edge in corner kicks over the Spartans (2-5-1).
The first half was a windy 45 minutes with a strong breeze at Grace’s back. The Lancers had the majority control of the ball before halftime, keeping pressure on the Spartans’ backline. Grace outshot Manchester 10-4 in the first half, but it was the Spartans who held an early lead.
The Spartans countered to perfection after a lengthy build-up by Grace, scoring in the ninth minute for the only tally of the half.
Manchester was well organized in defense, keeping Grace off the scoreboard. Ivan Santagiuliana had one of the better shots for Grace in the first half with a long-range effort, but his shot was punched above the crossbar by Manchester’s goalkeeper Justin Meredith.
Colin Cape had three shots in the first half, and Romain Chantrel and Breno Oliveira also tried a pair of shots. Grace thought it had earned a penalty kick late in the final seconds of the half when Togo Narusawa was felled in the box, but Grace’s appeal was denied.
The Lancers’ pressure continued in earnest after halftime. Grace had four shot attempts in the first 10 minutes of the second half, but each attempt was off the mark.
The breakthrough finally came at the 67:50 mark. Brayton Taylor lofted a pass into the box to Ulisses Miranda, and Miranda trapped the ball with his chest, turned and rifled a shot past the goalkeeper’s stretch to make the score 1-1.
The Spartans were unable to muster much of a response. Manchester only took three shots over the final 61 minutes, of which just one needed saved.
Kurt Hamlin made three saves in goal to pick up the win. Miranda outshot Manchester by himself with eight shots, and Boerema and Oliveira each shot five times.