After successfully regaining the Midwest Championship, we were motivated for the "Big" ESFNA Tournament in Washington D.C.
We started play by defeating an improved Portland team 5-1. Then the next day, we assured our self into the final game of the Second Division by defeating a determined San Diego squad by the score of 3-1. That victory also assured us a spot in the First Division for the 2003 Tournament. On our third try, we finally succeeded in climbing out of the Second Division.
Assured of a place in the First Division, all that was left was to play DC Unity for the Championship of the Second Division. We quickly picked up where we left off and rattled three straight first half scores against the clearly outmatched DC team. Just before half time, DC scored a key goal to close the gap to 3-1. Then, everything turned upside down for us. Because of bad play, bad decision making, or whatever it was, the DC team scored two late goals to send it to a Sudden Death Overtime. Surely enough, they added another goal and made the worst possible situation happen to us. We ended the Tournament on a bad note by losing 4-3. Clearly we were the better team, but someone, somewhere did not want us to get that trophy. Nonetheless, we came away from the 2002 Tournament a proud team. All Ethiopians in the Columbus area were proud of our accomplishments. |
