Broncos 2 Kings 1
It was a tight battle between two rivals but the Olds College Broncos came out on top over the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings soccer team 2-1 on Saturday.
Aminja Abbe put the Broncos up 1-0 late in the first half but the Kings responded in the 64th minute when Jaeden Swartz scored on the breakaway.
Later in the second half with just 11 minutes remaining Broncos Sam Lorincz reclaimed the lead for Olds and that was all they needed to secure the victory.
With just five games remaining the Kings fall to 1-3-1 and sit in fourth in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference south division.
Head coach Admir Sarcevic said after the game they were hoping for a win to keep themselves in the running for provincials.
“There’s still more games to be played but it’s tough,” he said. “We went in with three players injured of our starters… With all that I think we still created some chances.
“We could’ve scored more goals. We hit the post on a free kick and then one player with a broken nose as well so really four players out for today’s game.”
Sarcevic added they also made plenty of individual and team mistakes that are costing them their season.
“You never know how they’re going to play or how we’re going to play in the remaining games,” he said.
“I believe every point you lose at home it might cost you that spot… But we’re going to fight and play every game like we’re going to provincials.
“It’s been tough and a very unlucky season for us for sure when it comes to the outcome of the game. The guys are performing but we just don’t have that little bit of edge and luck that you need.”
Kings defender Njegos Bajovic won Player of the Game for Red Deer. Sarcevic said it was well deserved and that he’s a solid player for the Kings.
“Obviously, he has lots of experience. His technical game was at the level where others didn’t show their technical ability today for some reason but he did what we wanted him to do and he was really there for us,” he added.
The Kings will return to the field next Saturday, Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. when they host the Medicine Hat Rattlers followed by a matchup with the Lethbridge College Kodiaks on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 2 p.m.