MADISON, Ala--The National
Premier Soccer League crowned it’s sixth
champion on Saturday night as Sacramento Gold
defeated Chattanooga FC 3-1 in front of 1,080
fans in Madison, Alabama.
Fynn Glover opened the scoring on 13 minutes
after Thomas Clark headed down a cross to
Glover’s feet just outside the 18. Glover
collected the pass and took a right footed shot
which beat Conor McNulty to his right and found
the back of the net.
Sacramento would wait until the 41st minute to
answer. A cross played in from the Gold was
parried away by Masters. The bouncing ball fell
to Ernesto Carranza who smacked home a volley
from 24 yards out to tie the match.
Under a minute later the Gold’s Utodi Madu
cleaned up a poorly defended corner kick and
smacked the ball off the crossbar and in,
increasing the lead 2-1.
A ten-man CFC team could not equalize in the
second half, with Irvin Espinal missing a
crucial penalty opportunity late in the second
half.
Carranza would net his second in the 83 off of a
beautiful feed from Manolo Piña. Carranza
recieved the ball 10 yards from goal and cut to
Chattanooga FC GK Richard Master’s left, beating
a defender and blasting the ball past Masters to
finish the game 3-1.
The first half was filled with end to end action
from the opening whistle. CFC struck within a
minute with a shot coming off of the goalpost as
they threatened early and often but without
quality shots on frame.
Sacramento Gold played a very counterattacking
style of play, and sprung Manolo Piña on goal on
several occassions. Masters was equal to the
task, denying Piña on his first quality chance
in the 12th minute.
The game took a turn in first half extra time
when the Gold´s Ivan Bermudez saw red after
kicking at CFC´s Drew Courtney following a
collision. The Gold were reduced to 10 men for
the duration.
The Gold made a intersting goalkeeper switch
after the first half with Max Herrera subbed in
for Conor McNulty.
"I feel we have two of the best goalkeepers
in the country." Said Sacramento Gold Head Coach
Rick Caldwell.
Even down to ten men the Gold were the more
dangerous side in the second half. Masters was
forced into several difficult saves from Manolo
Piña and Ernesto Carranza.
CFC pushed forward and were rewarded when Talhe
Dikaitmez pointed to a spot after a Chattanooga
player was pulled down just inside the box.
Irvin Espinal stepped up to take the penality
but was denied by Max Herrera. Herrera dove to
his left to make the save on Espinal’s low
driven penalty.
CFC began to push forward late into the second
half but could not convert. The Gold would
counterattack one last time and find their third
goal through hard work of Manolo Piña and
Carranza.
"You know, it was a heartbreaking loss for
our guys and for our supporters," said
Chattanooga FC board member Sheldon Grizzle.
"The players worked so hard to get where we are
tonight in just our second season. I can say
with certainty that Chattanoogans are proud of
the way these guys played, not just tonight but
all season."
"We felt we had some confidence from the
Second half of the semifinal match and we
wanted to carry that style of soccer into the
game today. said Caldwell. "We kept our heads
in it and we defended well in the second half."
A victorious Sacramento Gold team were
presented with two trophies by NPSL Commissioner
Dan Trainor: the 2010 NPSL Championship trophy
and the travelling trophy which will stay in
Madison until the 2011 Final Four.
