CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio. - Amish Country United traveled to Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy on Saturday, June 25 to square off with 2021 NOSL Champions Ambassadors FC Ohio. The last time these two sides met was May 29, 2021 on a drizzly evening in Berlin where the visitors would claim a 3-0 win on the road. This time around, the weather was the complete opposite. At the time of kickoff, the sun was shining bright and hot and the temperature on the turf was right around 100 degrees.
The Amish traveled relatively lightly and had a limited bench due to players who were not available for the match. Right after kickoff, it was evident that Ambassadors would have the lion's share of possession and chances. Amish Country defended well for a long period but eventually conceded halfway through the first half after a scrum in the box. The Amish kept pushing forward for opportunities of their own but went into halftime down 1-0.
After a much-needed halftime break, the visitors came back out with vigor in the second half. After winning a free kick in the opposition's half, Braden Mast played a ball to Logan Schrock who trapped it and then shot a one-hop strike through the defense. The ball nestled in the back of the net, just out of the goalkeeper's reach to make tie things up at 1-1. Then, just minutes later, Amish Country would take the lead as Schrock pounced on a loose ball in the box, brilliantly popped it by an onrushing defender, and finished into the corner to make it 2-1 for the visitors.
The next half hour saw AFC Ohio take back over in terms of possession and chances. The heat and lack of depth caught up with the away side as Ambassadors equalized at 2-2, and then took the lead through a penalty kick late in the game to cement their victory and keep them in a playoff spot. Amish Country fought hard and should be proud of the way they played, but will definitely kick themselves for letting three points on the road slip out of their grasp.
ACU has a shortened week and will play again on Wednesday, June 29 as they host fellow South Division playoff contenders Team Vulpine at Hiland, as both teams need a win to keep their playoff chances alive. Kickoff is set for 7:00pm.
