Boys Soccer

November 11, 2009

Union City loses lead, fall in shootout

Christian Marulanda Union City

Union City's Christian Marulanda dives for a shot in a shootout against Livingston.

Click Here for more photos from Union City at Livingston.

By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director

LIVINGSTON – Playoff losses are always tough for a team to swallow, but for Union City, this defeat had to be especially painful.

Less than a minute away from a trip to the North 1, Group IV final, the Soaring Eagles were done in by a series of penalty kicks as they fell 2-1 to Livingston in a classic semifinal showdown yesterday.

“I thought we were the better team, but they got a little luckier in a couple of things. It’s tough,” Union City coach Bill Shapiro said. “I just feel so bad for the kids because they worked so hard. It was a great season. I’m sad that we lost, but I’m happy with the season. Today we got a little unlucky, but that’s soccer, that’s life.”

Holding on to a 1-0 lead for most of the match, No. 11 seed Union City was called for a hand-ball in the box with just 38 seconds left in regulation. The Lancers’ Julian Craitar took full advantage, blasting the penalty kick past goalie Jesus Amaro to tie the game and send it into overtime.

“It was a little bit of lady luck on our side,” Livingston coach Roger Rubinetti said. “That’s why you play the whole 80 minutes and you don’t give up.”

Amaro had entered the game just eight minutes earlier when Union City (12-6-2) starter Christian Marulanda left due to an injury suffered during a second half collision.

“Jesus has had to come do that a couple of times,” Shapiro said. “It’s scary since he hadn’t been in the game yet, but I have all the confidence in him in the world that he can step in and be a strong presence in there.”

Marulanda returned to action in the 97th minute and was in net for the shootout round. But once again the Soaring Eagles were victimized by penalty kicks as No. 7 seed Livingston (16-5-4) got goals from Sam Butensky, Jordan Shafir and Drew Wagner in the shootout.

Lancers goalie Jacob Karpen slammed the door shut on Union City’s title hopes, deflecting Elvis De La Cruz’s shot off the crossbar and punching away a shot from Kevin Morales.

The Soaring Eagles’ last chance to continue the shootout was stopped when a Jarrington Cruz shot hit the right post and gave Livingston the victory. It marked the third shot of the shootout period that struck iron.

“Once it comes to a shootout, it’s more about luck than it is about anything else out there,” Shapiro said. “One inch to the left or the right and it’s (tied) and that just changes everything.”

Up until Craitar’s tying goal, Union City appeared poised to steal a victory. In the 19th minute, Morales whiffed on a potential shot, but recovered and delivered on his second chance to score his fourth goal in the state playoffs.

Marulanda and the Soaring Eagles withstood a barrage of offensive threats from the Lancers. The senior keeper stopped headers from Craitar and JP Tirone in the first half. Marulanda wasn’t done as he stopped a Butensky header during which he collided with a Livingston forward midway through the second half. Minutes later, Marulanda denied a German Valdez shot from 10 yards out.

“That’s what can happen when you have an athletic goalie (like Christian),” Rubinetti said. “He can keep you in matches. He did everything he could to keep us off the board.”

Marulanda made seven saves in the final game of his career and Amaro made one stop. Karpen made five saves for Livingston.

Amaro, who will take over the starting job next season, should have plenty of help in front of him as Union City returns eight starters.

“I have a real young team coming back,” Shapiro said. “My entire defense is sophomores. The rest of my midfield is sophomores. Kevin Morales is back. I’m very confident getting him back and seeing what kind of damage we can do.”

Kevin Morales Union City

Kevin Morales, one of eight starters who return in 2010, had Union City's lone goal.

 
1st
2nd
OT
OT
SO
Total
Union City (12-6-2)
1
0
0
0
0
1
Livingston (16-5-4)
0
1
0
0
3
2
 
UC: Kevin Morales (Roberto Fernandez) 19th minute
Liv: Julian Craitar (penalty kick) 80th minute
 
Shootout Goals
Liv: Sam Butensky, Jordan Shafir, Drew Wagner
UC: none
 

Goalies: Liv: Jacob Karpen (5 saves)
UC: Christian Marulanda (7 saves), Jesus Amaro (1 save).