Pontiac, MI (July 12, 2009)- The Michigan Bucks dominated the offensive statistics on Saturday night, but as the story of their season goes, they failed to finish their chances when they needed to score. The Chicago Fire Premier punched their playoff ticket with a 2-1 win in front of an enthusiastic crowd (989) at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac. The Bucks needed a win to insure their playoff hopes remained in their own hands and came out with the first chance in the opening five minutes. Striker Kenny Uzoigwe found himself alone eight yards from the Chicago goal and tried to volley a quick shot into the corner, but was stopped on the first of several huge saves by Fire goal keeper James Maurer. Maurer would make three other spectacular saves throughout the game, including another first half beauty off of Uzoigwe head before halftime. Chicago would get on the board first in the 14th minute when striker Andre Akpan scored on a nice pass from Rich Balchin. The Bucks would keep attacking and would get a well deserved opportunity from the penalty spot when attacking mid fielder Mauro Fuzetti beat three players through the mid field and played a nice ball into the box to Uzoigwe, who was knocked down before he had an opportunity to shoot. From the penalty spot, Fuzetti coolly slotted home his fourth goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1. The Bucks would be comfortable going into halftime tied, knowing that they must be the first team to score in the second half in order to keep the momentum and their playoff run alive.
In the second half, the Bucks continued to pound at the Fire defense and had several golden opportunities to take the lead but were denied by Maurer or his defenders. The goal keeper’s best friends cleared two balls off the line before the Bucks could finish their chances as the game went into the final quarter hour. Bucks coach Dan Fitzgerald threw all his players forward the last ten minutes, desperately trying to get the go ahead strike while the disciplined Fire side patiently waited for a Bucks mistake. That happened in the 86th minute when the last Fire counterattack started deep in their own defensive end. Three passes later, Akpan was in alone on Clark to put an end to the Bucks chance of winning. Michigan did have several more opportunities to tie the game, but could not get the final equalizer. “This game was a snapshot of our entire season,” said a dejected coach Dan Fitzgerald. “We played one of the best teams in the PDL even and had at least five great opportunities to put them away, but couldn’t finish. Give them credit; they are an intelligent, disciplined team. We were pounding them the last five minutes of the first half and most of the second half and they did not break. We outshot them 18-10 but could not get anything past them other than the PK. Credit their goal keeper for saving the game, and the finishing of Akpan was outstanding. We wish them well as they move on to the post season.”
Bucks Chairman/ CEO Dan Duggan was not pleased with the outcome but proud of the effort his team displayed against a difficult opponent. “It’s always difficult when we lose a game. It really hurts when you have such a great crowd on a night when the outcome of the game means so much to both teams. Everyone in the building knew we had to win this game, as a tie or a loss did us no good in trying to get that last playoff spot. The players responded well and never gave up. We just didn’t have things go our way when we needed them. As I replay the season in my head, I can tell you of four games if we finish one of those chances we change the entire situation so that we are not in a position to have a “must win” at this point in the season. The fan’s got their money’s worth tonight, and saw at least six future Major League Soccer (MLS) players on the field. Unfortunately, this year most of them were wearing the wrong color jersey. If Chicago plays like they did tonight in the playoffs, they have everything it takes to go a long way,” concluded Duggan. “I hope we get one more chance at them this year, which would mean we grabbed the last playoff spot in the division.”
The Bucks have the Ft. Wayne Fever to thank for their extended playoff lives, as they played FC London to a 1-1 draw on Sunday, leaving the door open for the Bucks to sneak past the first year club by winning its final two matches of the season. The Bucks will travel to London, Ontario on Friday to play FC London and then finish their fourteenth regular season in the PDL on the road at Toronto on Sunday, July 19. Coming into this season, the Bucks had qualified for the playoffs in a PDL record twelve times in thirteen seasons. To qualify this year, they will need to win both road games this weekend and will become the third team to qualify in the Great Lakes Division behind the Kalamazoo Outrage and Chicago. If the Bucks (7-5-2, 23 points) do anything but win both games, then FC London (8-3-4, 28 points) will clinch the final playoff spot in their inaugural season.
For more information, please visit the Bucks web site at www.buckssoccer.com.
