Alameda Islanders U11 Boys Soccer Team Advances to State Cup Championship Game this Saturday

In a heart stopping semi final match, the U11 Islanders prevailed in a dramatic penalty kick shootout to advance to this Saturday's NorCal Premier State Cup championship game in Woodland, CA.

In a well played first half, Lamorinda United Soccer Club scored first when their left wing deflected a high crossing pass in to the goal. With less than a minute left in the first half, Fahmi Ibrahim tightened his magic cleats and blasted one of his patented high arching free kicks from midfield. The ball ricocheted in front of the goal, and super sub Cooper Teare deflected the ball in to tie the score at 1-1. As the Alameda crowd erupted with cries of 'Cooooooooop!', the Islanders rolled in to halftime with all the momentum. The team carried this momentum in to the second half with passionate effort and inspired play, but was unable to convert multiple scoring opportunities.

At the end of regulation with the score tied 1-1, the game went to sudden death where the Islanders outplayed the Lamorinda team. After Fahmi Ibrahim blasted a sky high midfield free kick in to the back of the net, the Islanders erupted thinking the game was won. However, the goal was disallowed as the referee stated the whistle was not blown to start play. Neither team scored in the sudden death period, and the game advanced to the dramatic penalty kick shootout.  

Showing tremendous courage, Islander goalie Kyree Brown toed the goal line and set the tone early by deflecting the first Lamorinda penalty kick over the crossbar. With Cameron Ba and Bryan Woo converting their penalty kicks and the Lamorinda players off their mark, the Islanders prevailed and advanced to the championship.

All season long, the foundation of the Islanders team has been the aggressive and suffocating defense led by Jason Ravetti, Bryan Woo, Fahmi Ibrahim and goalie Kyree Brown. The U11 Islanders will need yet another solid defensive effort and their balanced offensive attack running on all cylinders when they take on a formidable UCSC Tecos Fire team in this Saturday's State Cup championship.