Alessandro Sambone’s penalty kick lifts Massapequa in OT
Alessandro Sambone of Massapequa, right, reacts after scoring the game-winning goal on a penalty kick in overtime to lift the Chiefs to a 2-1 win over Syosset in the Nassau Class AA boys soccer semifinals at Cold Spring Harbor on Monday, Oct. 31, 2016. Credit: James Escher
When Jake Bresnihan fell and the referee pointed to the penalty spot 2:14 into overtime, Alessandro Sambone knew what was coming next.
Sambone has been Massapequa’s go-to choice for penalty kicks, and this Nassau Class AA semifinal was no different. He lined up, placed the ball and fired into the net’s upper right corner to send No. 1 Massapequa to a 2-1 win over No. 5 Syosset on Monday at Cold Spring Harbor High School.
“I usually go the same way every time,” Sambone said. “What can I say? I just buried it.”
Sambone sprinted to the right corner and ripped off his shirt as teammates surrounded him. It had been a culmination almost a full day in the making after a lightning delay forced a suspension with 31:07 left Sunday at Adelphi.
“I’ve never been a part of anything like that,’’ coach Matt Burke said. “It was obviously a unique situation having to carry over for 24 hours and thinking about it, trying to game plan for whatever we could for 31 minutes.”
Sambone, a left back who facilitated the forwards with far-reaching passes on both days, said he was confident coming off the layover. If anything, it gave him more time to think about this type of moment that sent the Chiefs to a second consecutive final.
Asked how often the scenario entered his mind, Sambone said, “Every day. Every day.”
Syosset struck first with 16:14 left as Jack Monfort put in a header, assisted by CJ Emmerich. Massapequa’s Brendan Nichtern answered with 8:32 remaining by burying a low shot off a pass from Brendan Wall.
Calhoun advances. Calhoun’s David Futterman said he didn’t sleep much after Sunday night’s Nassau AA semifinal was postponed. You can call it team building.
“We didn’t go home, we didn’t sleep, we didn’t watch football,” Futterman said. “We were together like a team playing FIFA, Ping-Pong. That’s what teams do.”
Somehow he still had enough energy to make nine saves, turning away No. 2 Hicksville’s high-powered offense with athletic stops and preserving No. 3 Calhoun’s 2-1 win. Calhoun will face Massapequa on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Hofstra.
Joe Thomann headed in the winner in the 59th minute off a corner kick from Michael Harten. “It was a great ball,” Thomann said. “I just slipped away from my man and got lucky, found some space.”
Eric Stewart opened the scoring for Calhoun with 23:13 left in the first. Hicksville’s John Rojas equalized with 21:34 remaining, but Futterman didn’t allow another ball past him. His teammates recognized his contribution as they swarmed him after the final whistle.
“We expected nothing less than what he gave us,” Stewart said. “He gave us just what we needed.”
