2016 checklist. Make playoffs, check. Win first playoff game, check. Win second playoff game? Maybe.
Swope Park Rangers won at a tangent to finish the 2016 USL regular season in a position to host their own quarterfinal playoff spot. Then they continued that run by defeating Los Angeles Galaxy II 3-0 at Swope Soccer Village.
Fact is there is a moment that changed the match for the SPR, when Jose Villarreal received his second yellow card in the 63rd minute.
Up until that point both sides had been playing extremely high tempo, with one substitution already made and the infamous Curt Onalfo on the bench, II looked to be half way packed for a return to the coast and the off season.
The moment that the pressure from the hosts put away the visitors occurred in the 76th minute from a player whose performances has warranted a call up to the parent squad for the CONCACAF Champions League.
With Tyler Pasher attempting to cross into the box on the second attempt Kris Tyrpak on the back post headed home the matches winning goal to the delight of the 1,885 in attendance.
With the goal Galaxy II made their other two substitutions as they were seeking an equalizing goal they started to open themselves up for goals on the counter.
Mark Anthony Gonzalez had been on a good run and against LA II his chances presented themselves.
On Loan Emmanuel Appiah caught the LA II pushing and with pace and technique Gonzalez flashed forward, rounded the keeper to seal the match with a bit of flare. But he wasn’t done.
Fellow forward Ualefi caught Galaxy II again with numbers with their pants down and reminiscent of his stoppage time goal moments before Gonzalez put another ball into the net to finish off the visitors from California.
Swope Park Rangers players and Marc Dos Santos should look at themselves in the mirror and take a bow because the way that 2016 has gone in the last two months they look rock solid and perhaps are now seen as the team with the big target on their chest for the remainder of the playoffs and only two months ago they were on the outside looking in.
