The Fairfield boys soccer team escaped with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Mid-Prairie in first-round postseason action on Monday, May 18th — a game moved up earlier in the day due to weather — to advance to the substate semifinal.
It was anything but easy. Fairfield found itself trailing 1-0 at halftime after conceding a goal off a corner kick, and head coach Felisto Guezimane knew adjustments had to be made.
“We controlled the tempo of the game for the most part, but conceded a goal from a corner kick,” Guezimane said. “We did not defend the corner kick well and paid the price. We had to chase the game in the second half and I had to make a system change and make sure the boys were still in the game mentality. They responded.”
Lane Stever got the Trojans back on level terms with a goal that showcased individual brilliance. “Lane Stever had a solo work equalizer drifting from the left side and ripping a low shot to the far post,” Guezimane said. “After that we could relax a bit and play more freely.”
Fairfield dominated possession after the equalizer but struggled to find the go-ahead goal — until the final minutes. With just two minutes and 30 seconds remaining, Oliver Siemsen delivered the winner after Cormac Van Pelt set it up perfectly from the right wing. “Cormac delivered a perfect ball from the right wing into the far post for a tap in from Olie,” Guezimane said. “It was a perfect comeback performance.”
The drama didn’t end there. Fairfield survived a missed penalty kick from Mid-Prairie just seconds after taking the lead, holding on for the 2-1 victory.
“The second half was filled with drama, tension, and excitement,” Guezimane said. “I’m sure the fans had a great time. Great game to watch, not so much for my blood pressure. Time to get back to work and prepare for Solon.”
The Trojans now advance to the substate semifinal, where they will travel to Solon on Wednesday, May 27th.
