Bay Cities FC came tantalizingly close to earning its first victory in a competitive match, but had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Seattle’s Space United FC on Saturday evening at Sequoia High School in Redwood City.
The match started slowly, with few chances on either side, but the intensity ramped up as it went along, with both teams’ benches receiving yellow cards in the second half for arguing with the referee.
Space United got on the board first, in the 30th minute, when Daniel Herrera made a long run from midfield into the penalty area and was taken down in the box by Bay Cities’ defender Tomo Jozinovic, who was also yellow carded on the play. Aiden Genovese converted the penalty kick.
Bay Cities equalized three minutes later on a freekick from the near sideline that was sent directly into the box; David Kinnear found an opening between two Space United defenders and headed the ball into the net.
Both clubs had additional chances before halftime. In the 40th minute, a Space United corner kick pinged around the penalty area, but the striker wasn’t able to get enough on the ball to get it past Bay Cities goalkeeper Alan Cruz. In the 45th minute, Josiah Romero dribbled around a Space United defender and sent in a cross; David Chavez made a quick turn and tried a one-timer but it went over the crossbar.
Bay Cities had most of the possession and the bulk of the chances in the early part of the second half. In the 57th minute, Rei Dorwart stole a pass from goalkeeper David Silva who had wandered out of the penalty area; Dorwart was taken down as he tried a shot from distance toward the empty net, but the referee said play on. Two minutes later, Miguel Guerrero dribbled around two defenders and took a shot that skipped past Silva, but went wide.
In the 62nd minute, Bay Cities sent a ball into the box toward Miguel Najar, Silva, and a Space United defender; Silva lost track of it for a moment but was able to grab it before any damage was done. In the 67th minute, Silva made two quick saves at close range, from Victor Parra and Romero.
Bay Cities took the lead in the 80th minute when captain Jonathan Partida stole the ball from a Space United defender, took several dribbles, and fired a pass to an unmarked Romero on the right side. Romero trapped the ball with his left foot and fired a bullet with his right foot that Silva couldn’t reach. Most of the roughly 500 fans in attendance celebrated the club’s apparent game-winner, and team employees threw souvenir rubber balls into the stands to commemorate the goal.
But Space United thwarted Bay Cities’ hopes of earning three points thanks to an 86th minute equalizer from Junior Chimilio. Diego Garcia took a freekick from near midfield and sent the ball to substitute Manav Gill on the wing; Gill took on a Bay Cities defender and sent in a short cross that an unmarked Chimilio headed home from short range.
This was the final match in the Pacific Region of the 2021 NISA Independent Cup. PDX FC of USL League Two won the regional competition with 4 points, while Bay Cities and Space United finished with 2 points each. Both Bay Cities and Space United are hoping to join Division 3 NISA in 2022.