Round Rock advances to the UPSL central conference heart final
24.01.2021
The Round Rock soccer club has defeated Houston FC in a comfortable 4-1 win that helps RRSC go to the UPSL central conference heart final. Here is the recap of the semifinal.
Before the match stats
The top four teams of the central conference heart division will advance to the conference playoffs, seed 1 played seed 4, and seed 2 will play seed 3. Capital city was the 1st seed and dominated SA Surf 7-1, and now all that was left is Houston FC and Round Rock.
The last match these two teams faced off was, in fact, the last match of the regular season, with RRSC getting a 1-0 win. The first time these two met, HFC gets the win with a 4-3 scoreline. HFC placed 2nd in the heart division with a 6-1-3 record and scoring 30 goals and allowing 22 (GD of 8), while Round Rock placed 3rd with a 5-1-4 record, scoring 24 and allowing 17 goals (GD of 7). Now the two face each other again for the third time.
Game recap
The first half saw the two teams have some similarities among their playing styles; both defenses cleared the ball out of play after winning the ball, both played fast pace, college-style run and chase soccer with long lob passes and diagonal switches. The only noticeable difference was that the HFC coach was very vocal for the first half.
Despite the similarities in playing styles, Round Rock broke through first in the '14 minute. A throw-in for RRSC on the left side ended up for a mid-height cross for their forward to head the ball at the near left post with the keeper getting a hand on it, but it wasn't enough. Round Rock would get their second goal, courtesy of a penalty before the half-hour mark. At stoppage time, RRSC would get a third from a switch of play to the left and their forward shooting low at a tough angle, making the keeper try for a split save but again, his effort wasn't enough.
The second half saw some differences between the two teams. The HFC coach was less vocal in this half, and HFC would have more possession. Meanwhile, RRSC absorbed the pressure and played the counter-attack, mostly on the right-wing. HFC would get their first goal of the night in the '77 minute from a header off a free-kick to make it 3-1. Three minutes later, an RRSC player with a great individual effort would make it 4-1. Down three goals again, Houston would still not give up, and to their credit, they played with the same pace all game; the player's attitude and body language seemed unphased even when falling behind on the scoreboard. The final whistle would blow, and RRSC moves on.
Round Rock will play Capital City for the Central conference Heart title to fight further in the UPSL national playoffs.
