GPS FC BAYERN came out on top in a nine goal thriller in Broughshane on Wednesday, with the USA based academy triumphing by six goals to three over County Tryone in the Junior Section.
It was County Tyrone who started the brightest and took the lead in the first minute, Niall McGinley collected the ball in midfield before confidently striding forward and dispatching a long range effort beyond the reach of Bayern goalkeeper Liam Devanny. Bayern almost equalised straight from kick off but their striker’s speculative effort from the halfway line was tipped over for a corner by Tyrone keeper Jamie Brown.
The American side didn’t have to wait long for their equaliser as they scored with their next attack, Bryan Rosales getting the better of Jamie Brown in the Tyrone goal with a tame effort which the goalkeeper will have been disappointed not to keep out. Much to Brown’s credit, he didn’t let that incident effect him and redeemed himself with a number of stunning saves throughout the match.
The early goal glut continued as Bayern then took the lead with just four minutes on the clock, Ryan Sledjeski displaying a marvellous array of trickery in the box before slotting home a tidy finish to give his side a 2-1 lead. Bayern extended their lead on the stroke of half time after a superb team move culminated in full back Luke Nolan firing past the goalkeeper to score his team’s third.
Nolan tested Jamie Brown with a powerful free kick early in the second half but unfortunately for the Tyrone goalkeeper, his save landed right at the feet of Ryan Sledjeski who had the simplest of tap ins to seemingly put the game beyond the local County side. Tyrone didn’t give up however and the pendulum appeared to swing in their favour with the award of two penalties in a seven minute spell of attacking pressure. The first, given for a foul by the goalkeeper was dispatched confidently by Andrew Scott before he repeated the trick just minutes later, this time awarded after an infringement by a Bayern defender right on the edge of the box.
Tyrone were rallying and looked favourites to score the next goal until Bayern scored a sucker punch fifth against the run of play on 50 minutes, another goal scored by virtue of a rebound after a stunning Jamie Brown save, this time it was Amas Irzikevicius with the tap in. Bayern put the game beyond all reasonable doubt four minutes later when Keegan Tinley went on a mazy run in the box before clipping the ball across goal for Jonathan Rodrigues to curl home with a classy finish at the back post.
In the end Bayern ran out comfortable, deserved winners but Tyrone deserve credit for their second half fight back and overall contribution to a thoroughly entertaining game.
Match Report by Jordan Miller.