After being down 2-0 nearly 70 minutes into the game, North Texas SC battled back against LAFC2 on the road to secure a 4-2 win and the 6th spot in the Western Conference.
With decision day here and playoff implications on the line, North Texas SC called upon JT Harms to start in goal for the final regular-season game. In their signature 4-2-3-1 formation, the backline remained relatively unchanged from the previous game, aside from the addition of Alvaro Augusto at CB.
In the midfield, Diego Garcia (CM) returned to the starting lineup, with Jaidyn Contreras sliding out wide to LW. Up top, Faisu Sangare would return at ST, replacing Christopher Salazar, who was a reserve in today’s match.
Los Angeles sported a 4-3-3 formation, with Cabral Carter getting his 19th start in goal. In the backline, Skylar Kaplan made his 6th start with a mix of experienced defenders for LAFC2. Forward Marius Aiyenero started up top as the team’s lone striker.
LAFC2’s leading scorer Tommy Mihalić started out wide on the left wing, with Adrian Wibowo opposite him on the right wing. Most notably absent from tonight’s starting lineup was Jude Terry who is second on the team with 5 assists.
LAFC2 would open up the scoring in the 24th minute. Sebastian Nava played a ball to Matt Evans in the middle of the field, who zipped a ball into the bottom right corner to give LAFC2 an early 1-0 lead.
The home team doubled its lead right before the whistle blew in the first half. In the 45th minute, Davis scored his second of the day, from about the same spot as his first. Another long-distance shot from the middle of the field found its way past Harms to make it 2-0, LAFC2.
“When you go down 2-0 at halftime, the message was that being down 2-0 is a really dangerous score in football,” Head coach John Gall said. “We talked about getting on the front foot. We started the [second] half tremendously well, I kind of had a really good feeling that we would nab a goal.”
North Texas managed to pull one back in the 69th minute after Garcia played a great back heel to halftime sub Anthony Ramirez. Ramirez was able to get around the goalie and get a shot on target. After the saved shot bounced out, Garcia tapped it home to cut the LAFC2 lead to 2-1.
In the 72nd minute, Sam Sarver equalized the game for NTSC. On the right side of the field, in the final third, Sarver was able to slot it home past an outstretched Carter, for his first goal of the game, 2-2.
Nearly 10 minutes later, Ramirez played a cross into the box that was headed back towards Sarver from Contreras. Sarver volleyed it into the back of the net to give North Texas the 3-2 lead.
The final metaphorical dagger would happen five minutes later. In the 86th minute, Sarver got past his defender on a through ball from Garcia. Sarver finished low, once again, and secured the 4-2 victory for NTSC.
An incredible(ly nervy) finish to an eventful regular season for the reigning 2024 MLS Next Pro Championship.
This should come as no surprise. After a comeback win, where a certain player scores 3 of the 4 goals, he has to be our Man of the Match. That guy is none other than Mr. NTSC himself, Sam Sarver. 3 goals, 8 shots, 2 chances created. He did just about everything in the second half to get this team to the postseason.
With tonight’s result, North Texas SC officially secured a spot in the MLS Next Pro playoffs, being the 6th seed. Wrapping up an impressive season, following the championship season from last year.
Gall added after the game, “We won the league last year. We’ve got ourselves in the playoffs. We’re MLS NEXT Pro Invitational Champions earlier in the season. Now the fun starts, and whoever picks us, I think you’re in for a tough one.”
