It took nearly six hours to complete at two different sites. In the end, after nine rounds of penalty kicks, the New Jersey Copa FC NPSL team is heading to the National Premier Soccer League Northeast Region semifinals. NJCFC scored on all nine shots it took in the shootout and when Mid-Atlantic Conference champion Fredericksburg FC’s ninth shot caromed off the post, New Jersey Copa FC—the first rookie team in the Keystone Conference to ever qualify for the playoffs—advanced following a 2-2 draw.
New Jersey Copa FC (6-1-6) advances from the epic wildcard game to face the defending NPSL national champions and second seeded New York Cosmos B (12-2-2), on Wednesday, July 20 (7:30 p.m.) at Hofstra.
Forward Andres Berriel (Elizabeth, N.J.) contributed to both game-tying New Jersey Copa goals, scoring in the 44th minute to even the game at 1-1 moments prior to halftime, before assisting on a tally from Emerson Lawrence (Newark, N.J.) in the 68th minute to make it a 2-2 game.
Goalkeeper Matt Perrella (North Brunswick, N.J.) stopped five shots, including perhaps his most important save in a NJCFC uniform. In the 121st minute of overtime, Copa committed a foul just outside the 18. FFC hit a laser towards the far post and Perrella, in a full, outstretched dive, tipped the shot off the post and out to send the game to penalty kicks.
Fredericksburg struck first in the 24th minute when Uriah Bentick scored on the far post off a cross from Romena Bowie.
NJCFC gained momentum later in the half and got the equalizer when Maximiliano Garcia (Mendoza, Argentina) slipped Berriel a pass who went in on a breakaway before he beat keeper Conor Jones (six saves) far post.
FFC regained a one-goal margin in the 48th minute. Off a throw in, Bowie volleyed a perfect shot from 30 yards out into the only space available—a narrow window under the crossbar and just over the hands of Perrella in a backwards dive.
Lawrence got the equalizer when he accepted a feed from Berriel and found the bottom right side of the net from 20 yards.
In a game with numerous peaks and valleys for both teams which included opportunities that struck crossbars and posts, the drama was just beginning.
The NPSL wildcard contest began at 5 p.m. on the grass pitch at the University of Mary Washington and the clubs were still knotted at 2-2 in the 85th minute. That’s when the storms came. With lightning in the vicinity, the referees cleared the field and playing field was not declared safe until 8:15 p.m. From there, the two sides concluded the final five minutes of regulation and five minutes of stoppage time, and still even at 2-2, were able to squeeze in the first 10 minutes of overtime before darkness fell on the unlit facility.
Fredericksburg was forced to move the contest to an alternate lighted turf field across the city, and five hours after the game initially began, the two playoffs clubs battled out the final 20 minutes of overtime, before ending in a 2-2 deadlock.
After 10:30 p.m. the advancing side would be decided via a shootout. Visiting NJCFC went first and each player for New Jersey confidently buried his opportunity in order. Captain Daniel Mendoza (Fairview, N.J.) led off, followed by Garcia, Rodrigo Santiago (Rockaway, N.J.), Berriel and Lawrence.
Even at 5-5 in PKs, Dennis Correia (Elizabeth, N.J.), Bryan Machado (Dover, N.J.) and Kelvin Preciado (Hackensack, N.J.) each hit their chances to keep NJCFC on pace at 8-8, before Matty Berman (West Orange, N.J.) delivered the ninth and eventual decisive strike. When FFC’s ninth shot found the post, an exhausted New Jersey Copa FC side celebrated in jubilation.
