Olathe United Scores 2 Goals In Final 15 Minutes To Win At Home

Back Row: Tim Dietz, Simon Esh, Parker Hurla, Andrew Porter, Rory Stenhouse, Shadrach Jaeger, Front Row: Max Leiker, Dylan Traudt, Ryan Lytton, Noah Conover, Reuben Kester

Olathe United scored 2 goals in the final 15 minutes to win at home against an outstanding Southside club. This game was a phenomenal match with each club showing its resiliency by coming back and taking the lead when trailing.

Southside scored first in the 18th minute when they had great team play down the left side and crossed it on the ground to the 6 where their striker directed it past the OU goalie, Shadrach Jaeger. OU would answer 1 minute later when centerback, Rory Stenhouse sent a 40 yard dime that midfielder Noah Conover calmly chested to the ground, took a couple touches and calmly dinked it over the onrushing goalie's head. OU would score 6 minutes later to take the lead when left winger Parker Hurla beat his defender to the endline and laid a pass on the ground to winger Max Leiker who was streaking across the box and had a 1-time finish. Southland tied it in the 43rd minute with great give and go work and overloading the right side which ended in a small cross that was headed home by David Marshall.

Knotted 2-2 at halftime, the first 15 minutes of the second half was marked by possession for both teams but no goals. Southside broke through in the 62nd minute when their striker had a hard shoot from 15 yards out. Shadrach Jaeger made a phenomenal save directing it wide where it was picked up by an onrushing winger who finished it uncontested to give the visitors a 3-2 lead. In the 78th minute, Olathe tied the game when right back, Ryan Lytton slipped a beautiful pass to Hurla who had made a run behind Southside's center back. Hurla took a couple touches and shot from the right side of the box into the right side of the net. 2 minutes later, Lytton collected the ball about 30 yards from goal on the right side. He made some great moves to beat his defender, cutting in on his favored left leg and shooting from about 16 yards out and beating the keeper with a low, hard shot into the bottom right hand side of the goal for the winning tally. Southside pressed hard for the final 10 minutes. In the 85th minute, Shadrach Jaeger made the save of the game on a hard shoot through traffic from 15 yards out where he was shielded by players. He was able to get his fingertips on the ball pushing it wide for a corner kick. Olathe defended well for the final 5 minutes plus stoppage time to secure the hard-fought victory by a final score of 4-3.

After the game, we caught up with Coach Todd Esh. "What a game. That was one of the best games I have seen at this level in a long time. 7 goals and all of them were good goals involving great team play and some great individual work. We knew Southside was a really good club and they really took it to us. Our boys played really well and never gave up so I was happy to see that trait from them. I made some tactical mistakes by playing some of the boys in positions where they usually don't play so some of our team mistakes fall on me, especially in the first half. I have to put the boys in better position to succeed. I thought all 3 of our lines had very solid games. You never like to give up 3 goals but Southside just had some great buildup and then great finishes so you have to tip your hat and move on. Shadrach had some phenomenal saves to keep us in the game and Ryan Lytton played a phenomenal game defending and then showed his offensive ability by being heavily involved in the last 2 goals.

Olathe's next game is away vs Northland FC on Friday, May 16 at 6PM.