USL SOCCER: Flint City Bucks overcome odds to win fourth national championship
Tambe’s OT blast sends FCB to glory
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
Dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
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FLINT – A storied franchise with a resume rivaled by few in its league, the Flint City Bucks captured their fourth national crown Saturday under rare circumstances.
Forced to go 2-0-1 in their final three regular season games just to finish second in their division and reach the 16-team postseason, the re-branded Bucks – who moved from Pontiac to Flint last October – completed the upset trail at Flint’s historical Atwood Stadium with a thrilling 1-0 victory over visiting Reading (Pa.) United FC in the USL-League 2 National Championships.
The Bucks (10-3-3), who completed their 24th season, were the underdogs in four postseason contests, but rose to the occasion once again for their third crown in the past six seasons. The franchise also won titles in the Premier Developmental League (USL renamed the 72-franchise conference League 2 last year) in 2006, 2014 and 2016 while finishing as the national runner-up in both 2000 and 2007.
It took a penalty kick goal from forward and Cameroon native Ayuk Tambe (Tusculum University) in the 110th minute of the second overtime session to lift the Bucks to the title in front of 7,198 fans – the largest crowd the Bucks have hosted for a postseason game.
Flint City Bucks midfielder David Achaerandio send this cornerkick towards the Reading United FC net during the first half of Saturday’s nationa title game. Photo / Amanda Thick, Amanda Leigh Photography
Tambe was bladed from behind on a breakaway just inside the box by a Reading United FC defender and was awarded the penalty shot. The speedy striker, subbed into the game midway through the second half, left no doubt, lacing his shot top shelf by the right post past Reading goalkeeper Simon Lefebvre for the game’s only score.
“I thought I was going to score (on the breakaway), but then I heard the defender come up on me and the next thing I was knocked down,” smiled Tambe. “I knew I would (convert) my penalty. I’ve scored on those before, but this was the first this season. It’s my job to score.”
Tambe’s shot was the only attempt on frame by either team in the second overtime period. Reading United held a narrow 4-2 total shots edge during the two overtime sessions.
Andrew Pannenberg notched the clean sheet on five saves for the Bucks — the team’s second straight shutout of the postseason. He made two saves during the first overtime to keep the game scoreless and help set the stage for Tambe’s heroics.
Flint City Bucks forward Ayuk Tambe is embraced by teammate Griffin Debolt following the Bucks’ 1-0 victory over Reading United FC. Photo / Amanda Thick, Amanda Leigh Photography
“We just believed we could do this,” smiled Pannenberg. “One of my friends played on the last Bucks championship team and we wanted to do it again, keep the tradition alive.”
For the game, the Flint City Bucks held a narrow 12-11 shots edge in the evenly-played match, with both teams trading off five shots on frame and seven cornerkicks apiece.
“This is amazing,” beamed Bucks coach Demir Muftari, who has won national titles on both the high school age club circuit and PDL/League 2. “They are all different in their own way. But none of them were played with this much (fan) support. This was unreal.”
Playing on the road, the Bucks were 10 seconds away from being eliminated in the first round of the postseason by the top-seeded Des Moines (Iowa) Menace when backup keeper Gustavo Vasconcelos, brought into that contest as a field player, scored to send the game to a shootout. Flint City held a 4-2 edge on PKs in that game and won 4-3.
Flint City Bucks midfielder Yuri Farkas points to a teammate to send the throw-in to his feet during Saturday’s clash. Photo / Amanda Thick, Amanda Leigh Photography
Flint City also defeated Kaw Valley (4-2) in the Central Conference finals and Golden State Force (1-0) in the national semifinals.
“What a run,” added Muftari, who was also the head coach on the 2016 national title team. “We just kept finding ways to win.”
It marked the second straight season that Reading United FC lost in the finals. Last year Reading lost to the Calgary Foothills FC, 4-2, in a match that also reached extra time.
Photo / Amanda Thick, Amanda Leigh Photography
Photo / Amanda Thick, Amanda Leigh Photography
Photo / Amanda Thick, Amanda Leigh Photography
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