NY Pancyprian Freedoms Burn KidSuper Samba AC on a Cold and Rainy Night
The conditions were rainy, windy and slippery on the worn-out turf at Met Oval, but the second place NY Pancyprian Freedoms showed their quality with two first half goals ensuring a victory against eighth place KidSuper Samba AC on Sunday, October 2nd. The second place NYPF have a game in hand as they entered this game and are looking to move to the top spot of the Metropolitan Conference of the Eastern Premiere Soccer League.
Before the game, Pancyprian Association President Philip Christopher spoke with the players reminding them of the importance of this game on the way to the championship. “We lost this game last year after being up and that was one of the few times we dropped points,” he said. “Score early and let’s celebrate the win at the end.”
The game conditions were normal at the start of the game and long time Pancyprian James Tristino scored an early opener followed by Sameer Fathazada with both assists by Camil Koreichi for the only goals the NYPF needed. The weather conditions deteriorated as the game went on and the small slippery field at Met Oval made it even harder for both teams to muster any chances. The two goals give the NYPF a solid ten goal difference after only 3 games, having only allowed one goal against.
Earlier in the day, the NYPF II were in command 3-0 against the Afghan Ittihad FC in the Third Division of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League when a violent pitch invasion just at half time forced the referee to stop the game. Approximately twenty squatters from the neighboring field 73 at Randall’s Island interrupted the match by coming onto field 74 and attempting to harass and assault NYPF players. The unprovoked attacked caused a melee on the field as players from both teams rushed in to protect their teammates. The referee ended the game due to the outside interruption and unsafe conditions for the players. Goals by Andrew Decanio, Gerasimos Tzanetatos and Alexander Lenart put the NYPF II comfortably in the lead and were constantly threatening to put in more goals
“We are stunned and saddened by the behavior of the this group without a permit at Randall’s Island,” said Paul Kontonis, NYPF II head coach. “Luckily none of our players were seriously injured and we ask the Randall’s Island Park Alliance and NYC Department of Parks and Recreation to be vigilant in preventing unauthorized use of fields by individuals that are simply there to cause trouble for organized programs that are giving back to their communities, like Eleftheria Pancyprian.”
Over in the Long Island Soccer Football League on Sunday night, the NYPF O-30 marched to a 5-2 win over Rosedale Social Football Club O-30 on a brutally windy and rainy night. Goals by Taso Polydefkis, Jemar Dawkins, Ismail Gul and two by Christian Turizo with three assists by Billy Antoniou, NYPF 0-30 head coach, has the team sitting comfortably in second place with a game in hand.
Next the NYPF play Doxa SC on October 9th at Belson Stadium at St. John’s University. The NYPF II play Falco FC on October 8th at Astoria Park. The NYPF O-30 play Garden City Centennials O-30 on October 23rd at St. Paul's School in Garden City.
