Even though St. Columban was coming into the game with a +45 goal rating and America with a -1, one got the feeling that this time around America was going to present a real challenge to St. Columban on their home turf.    Head Coach of America, Mr. Sergio Fuentes, echoed this sentiment, stating that his team was clearly in the running for a top-three finish in the Division for 2009.  He also stated that he had acquired a number of talented 15-year olds that would be ready to face their opponents head on - and indeed they were.  Through the majority of the first half St. Columban maintained their rugged style of play and forcefully moved the ball up field nearly at will.  They maintained pressure on the America goal almost from the outset.  America in turn could only muster occasional forays into their offensive zone and was typically forced to take shots from outside the box that were easily handled by the St. Columban keeper.    It became clear that America would have to do some tightening up on defense if they were to generate offensive drives of their own - ones that would allow their talented forwards the opportunity to showcase their skills, overcome St. Columban's physical presence and ultimately score goals.  Back and forth play in the mid-field revealed that America's players could match those of St. Columban in speed and overall talent but were at a slight disadvantage in size and perhaps strength.    The question would be which team - playing as a unit - could adequately implement their their own recipe for success.  At 22 minutes in St. Columban sailed a fairly hard shot off the crossbar that appeared to have the America keeper beaten - something that would happen at least three more times in this game as St. Columban maintained several significant periods of continuous offensive pressure against America.  Under the hot sun America somehow managed to keep the ball out of their net until about the 44 minute mark, when St. Columban strikers barreled through two or three America defenders driving in close from the right side and Justin Arts (# 18 green & white) got a hard shot away into the centre of the net at close range.  The first half ended one-nil.
With the opening of the second half it was more of the same with St. Columban successfully cutting through America's midfield and again pressuring the goal.  At 51 minutes it was St. Columban's Craig Docking (# 3 green & white) confidently finding the mesh from just out front once again.  One might have thought that America would have become discouraged at this point but this was definitely not the case.    Somehow the team in blue suddenly found their feet and began breaking up St. Columban drives mid-field and successfully engaging in one-on-one contests with St. Columban defenders in their offensive zone.  America's playmaking abilities seemed to almost instantly materialize and they began putting on some pressure of their own against their defending opponents who were perhaps beginning to tire.    At 55 minutes it was Johan Bonilla (# 7 blue) taking advantage of an offensive opportunity inside the box and playing a header directly into the St. Columban goal on a play that seemed to materialize very quickly.  America appeared to have revitalized itself even further after finally getting on the board and kept the pressure on, ultimately earning a penalty kick at the 65 minutes mark.    It was Johan Bonilla (# 7 blue) again making no mistake in converting with a fine shot high into the top right side of the mesh.  Only after this did St. Columban appear to re-awaken.  The play during this period became more rough, and with more whistles as battles for the ball were fought fiercly in nearly every part of the pitch.    At 78 minutes in was St. Columban's Kevin Ryan (# 16 green & white) pounding home what would be winner on a header from close in.  In the end it was perhaps just a little too late for America in staging their comeback, and the formidable St. Columban strikers seemed to have their way with the America defenders just one too many times.  The game would end at 3-2 favouring St. Columban, as they maintained their undefeated status atop their Division rankings.  JHS