Lea Bridge Rangers manager said "The best team on the day were knocked out of the cup" and he was surely right there as Ac Milano showed passion & team spirit as they were eliminated from the Independent South Essex League Cup.Ac Milano who play in the Independent South Essex League Division Two were up against the Premier Division side Lea Bridge Rangers and went into this cup tie as underdogs but played outstanding football where they showed character and battled back after being down twice in the game...
Zuber Patel who is also known as Zuber Little to his team mates for being short was the hero for Ac Milano in the 120 minutes of football.The little lad played superb and gave a man of the match display against the tall and strong Lea Bridge Rangers players.Zuber Patel actually troubled the Lea Bridge Rangers defence with his pace & skills...Lea Bridge Rangers took a very early lead with a header scored from a free kick just outside the Ac Milano area and were 2-0 up soon after,it looked like one of those days for Ac Milano in which they will concede goals here...But Ac Milano actually came alive and played the best football for a very long time.Zuber Patel pulled a goal back for Ac Milano after he burst on the right and outpacing the Lea Bridge Rangers left back,took a shot with his right foot which ended up in the left hand corner of the goal.
Ac Milano had quite a few close range free kicks but Arif Patel couldnt even trouble the Lea Bridge Rangers goalkeeper as not one free kick was on target...At half time it was 2-1 to Lea Bridge Rangers...
In the second half Ac Milano were fired up,played good football and causing trouble for Lea Bridge Rangers defence.They got their reward as they were awarded a free kick just outside the Lea Bridge Rangers area and with Arif Patel having no luck in the first half with his free kicks gave it a go once more in which he floated the ball to the back post and there was Ac Milano center back Mohamed Saeed to head the ball in the back of the Lea Bridge Rangers net and level the scores 2-2...Mohamed Saeed celebrated his goal with a superman slide on the turf and Ac Milano surely deserved the equaliser...
It was a game to be won by Ac Milano as with seventeen minutes to go they were awarded a penalty for a handball by Lea Bridge Rangers defender.Naeem Khamis who stepped up to take a penalty in the last game and scored took the spotkick but saw his effort saved by the Lea Bridge Rangers goalkeeper and he knew that was the moment to put Ac Milano through to the next round of the League Cup...The game ended in a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes...
Lea Bridge Rangers took the lead again in extra time after a good work from the winger who crossed low only for Lea Bridge Rangers player to tap in from close range to make it 3-2.Ac Milano looked tired and were abit poor for little while and could of gone 4-2 down in the second half of extra time and it would of been game over but Ehsan Afzal made a superb one hand save from a shot reflected by Lea Bridge Rangers player...
Ac Milano wernt finished as with five minutes to go Zuber Patel was bought down in the Lea Bridge Rangers area and were awarded another penalty in which Zuber Patel took the responsibility for taking the spotkick.He stepped up and put the spotkick into the top left hand corner of the goal and made the scoreline 3-3.The goalkeeper of Lea Bridge Rangers did get a hand to it but couldnt keep the ball out...It was surely deserved equaliser for Ac Milano and could of won the game with only minutes remaining of extra time.Naeem Khamis who was the hero in the last game for Ac Milano was the villain in this game as he already had missed a penalty but was given an opportunity to kill of the cup tie.Naeem Khamis was only yards away from the goal in which the ball was crossed in low to him,he controlled the ball very well but when everyone thought he can't miss from just yards out Naeem Khamis put the ball just wide of the goal with his right foot shot...He was on his knees,the manager and the players couldnt believe Naeem Khamis had missed a golden opportunity to win the match...
The match went to a penalty shootout in which Arif Patel,Naeem Khamis,Farooq Raza,Talha Adam,Zuber Patel & Adil Ali were all on target.Ac Milano goalkeeper Ehsan Afzal stepped up to take the seventh penalty but his effort hit the crossbar and brave soldiers of Ac Milano were knocked out of the Independent South Essex League Cup...
It was a brilliant game to watch and Ac Milano were very unlucky,only if they had finished off their chances during the game it would of been them going through...Every Ac Milano player gave brilliant performance with Yasin Mehboob who played on till the end with a injured ankle.Farooq Raza had his best game for Ac Milano as he played really well and linking up with players.The back four were awesome with the right back and left back pushing up on the wings...Every Ac Milano player gave 100% battle...
Lea Bridge Rangers manager said "The manager of Ac Milano should be proud of his players as they gave us a good game,they were the better side and only if they had taken their chances it would of been them going through,well done to Ac Milano"...The players of Lea Bridge Rangers also said "we dont deserve to go through"...
Ac Milano Manager Siraz (Khanki) said "The best team were knocked out of the cup,everyone saw my players give 100% on that pitch and only if we had taken our chances when it came to us we would of won in open play.I have no complaints from my players but all i want is to play like this every week and show team spirit and passion when they put that Ac Milano shirt on the day"...
Zuber Patel was named man of the match for his superb performance and two goals...
