In a nail-biting finish, the Austin boys soccer team battled to a 1-1 tie against Owatonna on Thursday night at Art Hass Stadium. The match highlighted how sometimes the outcome can hinge on mere inches.
The Packers had several scoring opportunities in the final 15 minutes, including a near miss from Leo Hernandez, whose 28-yard free kick hit the crossbar just over 11 minutes before the game ended.
Hernandez expressed his frustration, saying, “We were inches away from winning the game. Literally, inches away. It’s frustrating, but it’s soccer. We’re improving a lot, and the boys are getting better. From the first game to this game, we’re a completely different team.”
Austin (1-2-2 overall) faced challenges early on as the Huskies (0-2-1 overall) took the lead with a penalty kick by Jacob Gillespie just before halftime. The Packers managed to equalize when freshman Law Htoo maneuvered past a defender to score, though this came at a cost as goalkeeper Kyler Flanders sustained an injury.
Yair Lazaro Aviles stepped in, executing two crucial saves until Flanders returned in the second half, delivering several key stops and finishing the match with eight saves.
“I battled through a headache at the end, but I knew the boys would battle and they would have my back,” Flanders said, praising the defense that made his job easier. “I was a little scared at the end, but I think I have unworldly confidence and I believe in myself a lot.”
In the second half, although they didn’t score, the Packers generated additional chances, including a close attempt by J’dan Stevens right after a foul against the Huskies.
Austin head coach Jens Levisen reflected positively on the match despite the desire for a win. “We went down early, but the kids kept fighting all game. They’re playing how we want them to play. Owatonna wanted to keep the ball in the air because they’re so much taller, but we wanted to keep it on the ground, and we did that. That created a lot of opportunities.”