The Milwaukee Torrent advanced to the final of the 2024 USASA Amateur Cup final as they defeated FC Arizona 4-2 at Northern Illinois University’s soccer complex in DeKalb, Illinois.

Story of the Match

There was a slower, calmer start to proceedings, with both teams getting a feel for each other. Arizona captain Marco Afonso got the ball on the edge of the box, and he made clean contact on a strike, but whacked it well over.

There was a big moment in the 15th minute. Milwaukee was on the break, and they had a player taken down by defender Josue Murillo. Fortunately for him he had some cover behind him, so it was only a yellow card.

Torrent really should have gone in front after, as a cut back rolled right into a player making a late run into the box, but he dummied to no one.

Then they came inches from scoring. A dinked effort floated past an onrushing keeper, but the ball was cleared off the line by Tarek Salama.

Milwaukee’s goal finally came at the end of the first half. Max Ludwig carried the ball up the field before laying it off to Jamie Le Comte, and his low finish was enough to beat the goalkeeper

Arizona tied things up in the second half thanks to some magic from Afonso. He danced and danced and danced on the wing before finally dinking it perfectly to the backpost. Kyle Benjamin was there for him, and he headed home with ease.

Things really slowed up after that, but just when it seemed like extra time was an inevitability, Arizona jumped in front. A carbon copy of the first goal, Benjamin was on-hand for another back post header set up by Afonso.

That woke up the Torrent, and they equalized moments later. Gabe Voung flew past the backline, and he converted in style, opening up his hips and curling a shot into the side-nettnig.

Milwaukee was wide awake at this point, and they somehow retook the lead immedialty after. Javier Steinwascher found Le Comte in space in the box, and he did the rest, burying a shot off the post and into the back of the net.

They remarkably notched a third goal in five minutes. Max Ludwig flew up the field, danced past the defense, and placed a shot around the keeper to seal the result in stunning fashion.

What it means

The Torrent’s stunning onslaught at the end sets up a matchup in the final with the New York Pancyprian Freedoms on Saturday night.

Notes and Takeaways

The NIU Soccer Complex is especially pretty at night. There are few things nicer than an open night sky, and Huskie Stadium is a lovely backdrop.

Fair play to Javier Steinwascher for wearing Copa Mundials during the game. They’re a very stylish pair of boots, but they’re not blessed with modern day technology to make them light and agile. The boots fit him, though, as he’s a classy talent on the ball.

It’s incredible to think about how completely different the game was at different stages. At one point nearly nothing was happening, and then suddenly both teams are creating chances. Neutrals won’t complain, though, as that’s what set up the grandstand finish.

Firstly, Milwaukee deserves credit for their comeback. It looked like they literally kicked things up a gear. They were faster to the ball, making more runs, and finding spaces easier. When it mattered most they were clinical, burying each of the opportunities they created at the end.

However, there’s no comeback without a collapse. Arizona were so out of it at the end, and they were a mess defensively. No one was in the right spot at the right time, and they let the opposition walk through them. It was an especially disappointing moment considering how well they had done for most of the contest.

The Torrent will probably be viewed as the underdogs in the final, considering their performance versus New York’s. Milwaukee had a solid showing at the back, but they’ll have to find a new level if they’ll want to stop the dangerous frontline that’s coming their way.

Man of the match - Jamie Le Comte

Cool, calm, and collected. That’s how you’d describe Jamie Le Comte’s performance in the final third on Thursday night.

He broke the deadlock with a smart finish, picking out the bottom corner when his teammates had been struggling to finish. The attacker sealed his brace when it mattered most, giving his team the lead after kissing the post with a perfect strike into the corner.

It’s unclear how many chances will fall Le Comte’s way in the final, but what is obvious is that he’ll have to be just as lethal if the ball does come to him. Thankfully for Milwaukee, he seems up to the task.

Key quotes

Milwaukee Torrent head coach Jeff Pill:

“Going down woke us up a bit, got us into it. We had such a good first half, one of our best first halves of the year in terms of moving the ball and creating opportunities. We made some mistakes at the back, not slowing down things in the second half. If we clean that up, we’ll be alright.”

“We don’t like to put ourselves in that hole, but we’ve done it several times this year. I think that just shows our character, especially with a shortened squad at this point in the season. We’re playing for three championships in three days. It’s a dream come true.”

Milwaukee Torrent player Jamie Le Comte:

“It was definitely a night to enjoy. The boys played really well tonight. We were buzzing in warm ups, and it came out on the pitch. Arizona did really well to come back into the game, and fair play to them, but I think the comeback was the character we’ve shown all season. It’s a good night.”

“We’ve done it a couple of times this season, we bring it around when we need to. We need to keep doing what we’re doing. Our reaction today was really good, we were in a hard spot. We’re just going to keep playing the way we are and we’ll look to get the win on Saturday.”

- Adnan Bašić