KELSEYVILLE >> Don’t ask Kelseyville coach Eduardo Ledesma to explain how Fortuna scored a goal with three minutes left in the second half, a goal that ultimately saved the Huskies in their 3-2 double-overtime victory over the Knights on Saturday in the quarterfinal round of the North Coast Section Division I boys’ soccer playoffs at Kelseyville High School.
Kelseyville, the North Central League I champion and No. 2 seed, had a 2-1 lead and was just three minutes away from advancing to the semifinal round of the playoffs when the weirdness commenced.
After a fierce exchange of shots in front of the Kelseyville net, all denied by Knights keeper Francisco Duarte, Kelseyville was on the attack and at the other end of the field when the officials stopped the game, huddled, and declared that Fortuna had scored on its previous possession.
Ledesma said he never received an explanation and that none of the Huskies’ shots made it past his keeper into the net.
“Fortuna was just as surprised,” Ledesma said. “We didn’t see the ball go in. My goalie never let the ball in.”
After the two teams played a scoreless first overtime, Fortuna won it with a goal late in the second overtime.
“It really hurts to have it taken away like that,” Ledesma said of a season during which the Knights won their second straight league title.
Kelseyville had more than its fair share of scoring opportunities, according to Ledesma, but was held to single goals in each of the first two regulation halves. Giovanni Ruiz gave the Knights a 1-0 advantage until right before halftime when Fortuna scored to even things up. Enrique Cacho’s goal in the second half put the Knights back in front until the Huskies’ mystery goal late in the second half.
It was only the second loss of the season for the Knights, who finish 12-2-2.
