Redlands FC allow 3 unanswered goals in devastating loss to Fusion

Coming into their final road match of the season against the Ventura County Fusion, Redlands FC were in full control of their destiny for both a playoff berth and the division title.

This was thanks to Capo FC and FC Tucson, two of the three teams ahead of Redlands in the standings, settling for a 1-1 draw earlier in the evening. If Redlands could defeat the Fusion and City SC to end the season, they were playoff bound as division champions. 

Game Recap: 

Kickoff commenced in Ventura and the first 3 minutes featured the home side establishing their attack. The Fusion got the ball along the wing twice and sent in two crosses that Redlands had to cautiously clear. 

It was after Redlands earned a goal kick that Miguel Hernandez caught everybody on the Fusion off guard by launching the goal kick box to box and finding Javier Hernandez, who made an unbelievable first touch before easily sending it past the Fusion keeper. In just the 4th minute, it was 1-0 Redlands. 

The goal gave Redlands all the momentum, and they continued to outplay the Fusion, as in the 8th minute Kevin Meza sent a rocket from outside the box that no keeper in the world could stop. His top corner strike made it 2-0. 

Redlands nearly made it 3-0 when they got a head on a ball from a long throw, but the Fusion keeper saved it just off the goal line to keep the home team in it. This moment would loom large as the night went on. 

After all of the chaos in the opening 10 minutes, things slowed down for the next 20. That was until the Fusion started getting things going. In the 32nd minute, got a ball rolling into the box and converted. Redlands lead had come back to bite. 

The goal clearly flipped the switch for the Fusion, as 4 minutes later they stunned Redlands by tying the game in the 36th minute. Just as RFC had done to Ventura at Dodge Stadium, the Fusion had come back down 2-0 to tie things. That is how the first half ended. 

The second half kicked off and the first few minutes were much calmer compared to the start of the first half. Redlands had the only real opportunity of the first 10 minutes via a long shot from Troy Elgersma that was punched away by the keeper and cleared. 

After that moment, the Fusion controlled the rest of the game. They fired 7 shots on net in the span of 20 minutes, and had a header go off the cross bar. It felt like only a matter of time until they got the lead, and they did exactly that as in the final minutes they produced a 4 on 2 counter attack that found them the game winner. Redlands had gone from up 2-0 and in first place to back in fourth in less than 2 hours. 

Playoff Implications: 

The loss takes RFC’s playoff hopes completely out of their hands. Even if they defeat City SC on Saturday in the regular season finale, they will still need FC Tucson to lose their final match against Stars FC. That match takes place a day after Redlands wraps up their regular season. 

Fans can purchase their tickets for the regular season finale at https://www.redlandsfootballclub.com/tickets/single-game.