Ballard FC held to Scoreless draw with Lane United 

Ballard FC created a lot of chances Saturday, but were forced to settle for a scoreless draw against Lane United. 

It was a tactical battle from the opening whistle. Ballard wanted to control the match with lots of possession, while Lane United dropped off and looked to counter. 

Charlie Lanphier was forced into action early, making a diving claim off a long cross in the sixth minute. Ballard got their first good chance of the match moments later. Joe Dale split the defense and sent Charlie Kosakoff through on goal in the 10th minute. Instead of shooting, Kosakoff unselfishly passed across goal, allowing goalkeeper Will Ficek to claim. 

The match began to open up with more chances. Lane went direct again in the 13th minute, launching a long ball that led to a 1v1 with Lanphier. Yet before the shot was taken, the play was called back for a foul in midfield. 

The hosts thought they found the opener in the 22nd minute as Luke Hammond drove down the left and crossed into Kosakoff to tap in. But, the flag went up for offside much to the disappointment of the celebrating crowd. 

As the match continued scoreless, tempers rose with the first yellow card being shown to Lane’s Milo Wray.

In the 34th minute, Ballard FC created their best opportunity of the half. Cameron Cruz showed his determination and stole the ball off of Ficek, poking it to Austin Brummett. Brummett’s lofted a shot from distance was too strong as it skied over the bar. 

In the final moments of the first half, two yellow cards were shown to Ballard FC. Hammond received a yellow in the 42nd minute, and Abeselom Zemenfes was shown a card in the 45th. 

The second half began with renewed energy from the home side. In the 48th, Dale tested the keeper with a powerful strike from the top of the box. The ensuing corner fell to Khai Brisco, whose volley was saved again. 

Ballard FC continued to dominate possession in the second half, but struggled to break down Lane United’s low defensive block. Lane invited shots from distance which were all hit wide or above Ficek’s goal.

Lanphier, Christian Engmann and Davis Mungomba cleaned up any of Lane’s attempts to break forward. On the flanks, Brisco was dominant in 1v1s down the right side. 

Tensions flared again in the 51st minute as Lane’s striker Bautista Rossi Molinas picked up a yellow card. A few minutes later, Matthew Reed received a yellow for bringing down Engmann. 

In the 60th minute Ballard FC made three changes as Richie Aman, Omar Grey, and Sean Sent made their way onto the field to bring some fresh energy to the side. 

A few minutes later, Brummett combined with Dale and curled a shot wide of the far corner. 

Lanphier was called on again in the 63rd, denying Molinas’ strike after another long-ball counter. Molinas drew a yellow card from Engmann shortly after in transition. 

The match became more frantic as the minutes ticked down with the score still level. Ballard were able to continue creating chance after chance, but just weren’t finding the back of the net.

Ballard made another triple substitution in the 70th with Elliot Spatz and Ray Mendez joining the frontline with Andre Philibbosian slotting into the midfield. 

In the 73rd, Mendez quickly almost found the breakthrough with a sharp turn in the box, but his shot rolled just wide of the far post. 

In the 80th, Brummett poked the ball through traffic to Spatz, whose left-footed strike was parried high by the keeper. 

Seconds later, Philibbosian fired from distance but his strike was tipped wide for a corner. Engmann’s header from the corner went wide again. Ballard seemingly kept getting closer, but still couldn’t capitalize. 

The final minutes were all Ballard. Sent volleyed wide from the top of the box in the 87th. Lane’s captain received a yellow in the 89th for a late challenge as visitors continued to stop any momentum with conceding or drawing fouls. 

Frustration boiled over in stoppage time with the last real chance falling to Aman in the 93rd, but the offside flag ended it. 

The final whistle blew with the scoreline still level and the two hard fought sides splitting the points.

MATCH DETAILS 

FULLTIME: Ballard FC 0 – 0 Lane United FC 

Starting XI: Lanphier, Hammond, Engmann, Mungomba, Brisco, Zemenfes, Apolinar, Brummett, Cruz, Dale, Kosakoff 

Subs Used: Aman, Sent, Gray, Spatz, Mendez, Philibbosian, Ramsey, Otero, Short 

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Charlie Lanphier with his fourth clean sheet of the season.

WHAT’S NEXT? 

Ballard FC’s next match is at Interbay Stadium as they host West Seattle Junction on Friday, June 20th at 7pm. The home side will look to get to back to winning ways against the last-placed team in the division. Friday’s match is Sarah Robbins night as we honor local art in the community. On Friday, the team will be wearing our special Sarah Robbins kits.

HIGHLIGHTS

GALLERY