The Boys and Blue took on Midwest Premier League side and I-70 rival Club Atletico Saint Louis in a midweek primetime showdown. Club Atletico took the lead early, but what was noticeable off the bat was the way AFCC was able to exploit the wings and create chances with perfectly timed crosses in the box. Case and point, before the end of the first half, AFCC was able to create a chance and put the ball in the back of the next by getting on the front foot and putting Atletico’s backline on their heels.

The second half was more of the same with the Boys in Blue being aggressive and putting pressure on the defense. Atletico was able to keep pace and thwart each chance created by AFCC, but the breakthrough would come in the final seconds of stoppage time with a cross inside the box the led to the game winning header from McKendree University senior defender Cole Gerstenberger. Cole used his size to muscle his way past the backline and put the ball into the back of the net right before the final whistle.

This was a great win as the Boys head into the weekend against Ajax St. Louis to compete for the I-70 cup. “We’ve been trying to emphasis wide play,” said Coach Miller about the club’s dynamic wing play during the match. As the season goes on, let’s hope the team can continue to unluck the in-game strategies to breakdown defenses. Looks like AFCC is really putting something together in their second season.