Golden goal sends Lions to Final Four
- Updated: May 2, 2015
Johnson scores seconds before the end of overtime to send Faith into its first-ever soccer Final Four
Faith’s Tyler Johnson (L) fires the game-winning goal seconds before the end of overtime. Below, Fultondale defenders show their frustration as the ball finishes in the back of the goal. (Photos by Tony Bedford)
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Tyler Johnson has never scored a goal more golden.
The Faith senior striker slammed back his own rebound less than 20 seconds before the end of overtime Saturday to give the Lions a 2-1 victory over Fultondale and send them to their first-ever soccer Final Four.
The match was played at Clay-Chalkville.
“It’s definitely one of the greatest feelings ever,” Johnson said. “I turned around and everybody was chasing me; I never heard the crowd this loud before. It was just the craziest thing ever.”
The 10th-ranked Lions now play No. 6 Madison Academy at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the John Hunt Soccer Complex in Huntsville. The winner gets either top-ranked Westminster-Oak Mountain or No. 3 Bayside Academy Friday at 8:30.
Johnson scored on his own rebound after Andrew Gattrell won a ball at midfield and lofted a long pass down the line. The keeper stopped Johnson’s initial blast, but the rebound came right back to him.
“I had no idea how much time was left; I was just playing to the end,” he said. “It came right back to me and I was able to finish it.”
Gattrell gave the Lions a 1-0 lead when he converted Ryan Crosby’s corner kick in the first half. Faith keeper Caleb McCord made the lead stand until Fultondale scored with less than 10 minutes to play. McCord made 17 saves.
The teams battled through the first overtime. If there was one thing Faith coach Erik McDaniel didn’t want was for the outcome to decided by penalty kicks, which he called a “terrible way” to decide a match so hard-fought. Fultondale beat Collinsville on PKs in the previous round.
“In the second five-minute (overtime) period I knew if we could just spring one loose … we would have good success,” Faith coach Erik McDaniel said. “There were a couple times during the regular match we got some great opportunities and couldn’t quite capitalize.”
But they got the break he was looking for as time was winding down.
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