Soccer Falls to Ghana in Penalty Shootout
8/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Aug. 30, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama soccer team fell to the Ghana U-17 national team, 3-2 in a penalty kick shootout, Monday night at the Alabama Soccer Stadium. Both teams ended regulation knotted at 2-2, but the Black Maidens earned the victory based on a 4-3 shootout score.
"It was a fun night and a great cultural experience for both teams," Alabama head coach Todd Bramble said. "This game did a lot for us in the fact that we got to play and develop our reserves for the first 45 minutes and then be put in a pressure situation and come back with our starters in the second half."
Down 2-0 at the half, the Crimson Tide rallied to equal the score. In the 84th minute, freshman Molly Atherton fired a shot that caromed off the crossbar and in to tie the game at two. The shot from 25 yards out was setup off a corner kick by senior Rosaly Petriello.
Alabama got on the board in the 62nd minute when senior Victoria Frederick knocked in a far post pass from freshman Kendall Khanna. Fellow freshman Ariel Amijo set up the play as the two quickly combined to find Frederick on a far post run.
Ghana opened the game with a goal in the 10th minute when Mary Essiful found net inside the far post from 16 yards out on a pass by Sherifatu Sumaila.
The Black Maidens scored just a minute later as Beatrice Sesu buried a free kick from 22 yards out. The shot was taken from the left side of the penalty area and found net near post.
Trailing after the first attempt in the shootout, the Tide rallied back after goalkeeper Emily Cox made a diving save to her left but Regina Antwi sealed the game by connecting on the final attempt for Ghana.
Alabama was out-shot 21-16 but did rally to out-shoot the Black Maidens 12-9 in the second half. Amijo paced the Tide with five shots, putting two on frame.
Cox played the final 45 minutes in goal and made two saves while not allowing a goal. Fellow freshman Shanna Brooks allowed two goals and made a game-high three saves.
Alabama will return to regular season play when it hosts Chattanooga on Sunday, Sept. 5, at 1 p.m. at the Alabama Soccer Stadium.
