The night started brightly for Mississippi Brilla FC on Saturday night against the El Paso Patriots.  However, an almost unbelievable second-half collapse would see the home sides’ playoff hopes dashed as the Patriots left Longabaugh Field with a 3-2 victory.

Brilla FC took command of the match early when Onesimus Ikungo took a Ousmane Coulibaly through ball to the end line and crushed a blistering shot by El Paso goalkeeper Sebastian Navarez. Mississippi continued to threaten, and fifteen minutes later leading scorer Phillip Buffington created something out of nothing that left the entire El Paso defense baffled as to how he beat several players before sliding his carefully weighted shot into the far post netting.

Mississippi Brilla FC continued to press for a third goal before halftime, but were unable to find the final touch necessary to beat the El Paso defense. Half-time couldn’t come soon enough for El Paso who used the interval to regroup and refresh.

El Paso found a lifeline in the 65th minute when John Crowley hit a perfectly-placed near post shot past Brilla ‘keeper Scott Rosman. The goal was against the run of play, but would turn the momentum completely in El Paso’s favor. The Patriots were rejuvenated and Mississippi was flattened, despite still holding a 2-1 lead.

El Paso would draw level in the 87th minute when Rosman was unable to hold an El Paso corner kick and El Paso’s Hugo Samano knocked the resulting scramble in the box in for the tying goal.

Knowing a draw would leave them out of the playoffs, Brilla pushed everyone forward in hopes of finding another goal. Unable to put anything together as El Paso continued to press for a winner, the referee would find what El Paso was looking for when he whistled the Brilla defense for a foul in their own penalty area.

Samano converted for El Paso and sent Brilla’s hopes of the postseason down the drain, along with their fourteen-game home-unbeaten streak.

Brilla can only hope to improve on their won/loss record in their last two matches. On Friday they’ll visit Baton Rouge to take on the Capitals, with whom Brilla has split in their two meeting this season.

Then Brilla FC will host the Houston Leones in the final match of the season on Saturday, July 19. The match willl be held at a special time and location. The match will be at 7:00 PM at Arrow Stadium at Clinton High School. Every child who has attended a Brilla soccer camp this summer will receive free admission by wearing his or her camp t-shirt.