Friday night’s matchup was a hard-fought battle that ended tied 0-0. Despite the blank scoreboard, the game was filled with intensity, aggression, and constant action.
After the Burlingame Panthers kicked off the game, possession quickly shifted to M-A, and the first minutes were filled with pushing, slide tackles, and early fouls. Both goalkeepers made quick and precise saves right away, setting the tone for a tough, evenly matched contest.
“It was a must-win game. I think the boys prepared well, and I think we gave it our all,” senior forward Tomer Jacobs said.
Burlingame conceded three free kicks to M-A before toning down their aggression. Possession shifted back and forth, with neither team able to take control of the game. The Bears’ defense stood strong thanks to junior defender Vincent Alastalo and junior fullback Finn Doherty’s intense pressure.
Ten minutes into the first half, M-A began to build its offense and hold steady possession. The Bears gained momentum after a shot went by the Panthers’ goalkeeper, but it was stopped by the crossbar. Moments later, Jacobs dribbled upfield, cut inside, and fired a shot that the Burlingame goalkeeper barely saved.
Both teams began to tire after a brutal, fast-paced 15 minutes of consistent play. M-A’s possession was led by Jacobs and senior forward Nico Lanza, who worked tirelessly to control the midfield. The ball popped up in the midfield and was met by a sequence of four headers, as the uncertainty of possession kept the energy high and filled the crowd with anticipation.
“We were really good at controlling the tempo and dictating the play,” Jacobs said.
After subbing in four players with about 20 minutes remaining, M-A was able to pick up the pace and gain control. The Bears’ fresh legs on offense worked hard to keep the ball in the opponent’s half, putting lots of pressure on the Panthers’ defense.
With only six minutes remaining in the half, the Bears launched a final push into the Panthers’ territory. Despite a series of messy plays and multiple shots, they were unable to find the back of the net.
In the final three minutes, Burlingame dominated possession and created several scoring opportunities. Still, the Bears’ defense held strong, blocking numerous shots before they reached the goalkeeper. After a well-fought 40 minutes, the first half came to a close at 0-0.
Heading into the second half, the tied scoreboard put a lot of pressure on M-A.
After a strong kickoff to senior and captain Nolan Kanevsky, the Bears kept their intensity up and worked to connect passes up the sidelines to freshman fullback Frank Lenihan. M-A’s confidence was quickly combated by the Panthers’ aggression. Five minutes into the second half, the Panthers blasted a shot that the Bears’ goalkeeper pounced on, making an important save to keep the game tied 0-0.
The Panthers’ intensity only increased, forcing the Bears’ defense onto their heels. Burlingame’s accurate passing and numerous free kicks intimidated M-A. However, the Bears didn’t hesitate but rather retaliated with back-to-back crosses from both sides.
“I think today was actually great. We were passing the ball well and communicating. Most things went well today,” Kanevsky said.
Though neither team was fully in control, a shot was pounded into the goal by Burlingame. Cheers from the Panthers’ fans broke out, but it was quickly silenced by the referee’s offside call.
The Bears’ spirits were high, and there was much more collaboration coming off the Panthers near the goal. The goalkeepers on both sides were setting the tone of the half, keeping the scoreboard a blank slate. The Bears’ defense got no time to rest— the Panthers were right up on them, looking for any shot they could get, but they couldn’t break through.
“There were a couple of moments where we got a little panicky at the back, and then we just booted the ball,” Kanevsky said.
Even though the odds seemed to be against them, M-A wasn’t giving up, heading right back onto offense. The play was shortly interrupted by an injury to a Burlingame player, forcing a quick substitution. Hot off the short pause, senior midfielder and forward Theodore Leslie nailed a shot at goal, barely grazing one of the Panthers’ center-backs and leaving fans on the edge of their seats with the near miss.
Despite the plays starting to drag, the intensity never wavered, with persistence from the Bears and Panthers that led to an argument between the teams.
This recurring theme continued going into the final minutes of the game, and the possession kept flip-flopping from team to team. As tempers began to flare, a controversial call by the referee and time-wasting allocations on M-A caused a fight to break out with barely two minutes left in the game.
Players from both teams engaged in pushing, shoving, and yelling as the tension boiled over.
The referee was forced to step in to break up the fight. Followed by a few more sequences by M-A, this scoreless match ended up packed with drama.
The Bears will face the Aragon Dons away on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
