MD14: KS WARSAW 1 - 2 FC BERLIN
Germans invade Poland (again) and Take Home 3 Points
By: Drew Peacock 🦚
At the conclusion of match day thirteen, just two points separated these clubs. Warsaw, who would play host to the Berlins on this match day, fell to Brussels last time out. Berlin, despite losing to Deportivo Madrid, have a lot of confidence in newly appointed captain Deigo Fantastico to lead them for the rest of the season. Both teams would need a win to help break up the very congested bottom half of the table.
It was a very back-and-forth match for the opening thirty minutes, with neither team able to create any clear chances early on. The hosts would break the deadlock through right-winger Vilohith Patha who made an incredible run down the right flank to send in a vital cross. Recent academy call-up Matthew Leckie Jr. knew exactly where to be from playing with Patha in the academy prior to this match. He connected well with his head, enough to force Berlin keeper Rimjob Remmington into a difficult save. The striker collected the rebound and scored.
Not to be outdone, the Berlin response was swift, as they would level the score just seven minutes later. Off a throw-in, the triangle created by Floyd Lawton, Fantastico and Romero Keitel would be too much for the Warsaw defense this time. Lawton created the space, Fantastico created the chance, and Keitel left no chance for the keeper to save this one. After thirty-seven minutes, the score was level again, 1-1.
With the half-time talks complete and play resumed, the first chance would come to Warsaw again in the fifty-eighth minute, as Leckie was putting pressure on both the Berlin defense and the referee too! After Patha intercepted a Lawton pass, the winger and striker's connection was evident again as Leckie Jr. made a sensational run into the Berlin penalty box. Controversy as Yev Lashin took down Leckie Jr. in the box, but the referee waved for play to continue. The VAR check was completed, but there was not enough there to change the referee's mind.
Berlin would take the lead in the seventy-second minute. A quick attack developed off a goal kick, and Lawton was able to find Fantastico clear on goal. Argentina's only hope at redemption in the next FSL World Cup was able to keep his cool and give Berlin a one goal lead. Both sides would try to change the outcome before the final whistle, but all attempts were unsuccessful.
Warsaw have now lost four of their last six matches in the league, and this result may condemn them to a relegation fight that they were safe from just two matches ago. Berlin leapfrogged their opponents today and gained some breathing room above the relegation fight, for now.
