Cougars stay in contention for top spot in MSL West
Iatomasi's goal stands up in win over Buffalo Grove

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By Gary Larsen

With an early goal in hand and steady pressure thrown forward from there, Conant was primed to put another goal or two on the board before halftime against visiting Buffalo Grove.

Buffalo Grove goalkeeper Nick Landsberger, the crossbar, and a goal-line clear by a Bison defender all conspired against the Cougars, who settled for a 1-0 win instead in an MSL game in Hoffman Estates.

But the Cougars’ attack in the first half was a picture of quick passing, good runs, and persistent pressure.

The Cougars went into Monday’s game after facing a physical affair on Friday, a 2-0 loss at Barrington that featured constant play stoppages and almost no flow.

Monday’s game was much different, as the Cougars showcased their ‘A’ game through 40 minutes.

“Our first touch was key,” Conant’s Shivam Patel said. “In many of the games before this, our first touch was going too wide and too far. Our first touch today was good and it was helping us make the next play, and go up the field.”

Bobby Iatomasi’s early goal stood up to keep Conant (8-4-1, 5-2 in MSL play) in contention for the top spot in the MSL West Division. The Cougars have 15 points in the MSL table, with Wheeling rolling into Hoffman Estates on Tuesday.

Barrington and Fremd have 12 MSL points, and all three teams have a pair of MSL games to play this week. “It’s going to be day-by-day,” Iatomasi said of the race in the West Division.

Iatomasi provided all of Monday’s scoring in the game’s fourth minute, when he went after a ball on the left side of the Bison’s penalty area.

“The defender had a missed touch, I took advantage of it, and it’s just a straight sprint from there,” Iatomasi said. “(Landsberger) was coming out on me, I saw the slot, and just put it in.”

“But we need to start finishing more. We’ve got to start. We just need to work a little bit on technique, and keep putting the ball on net.”

A Conant shot hit the crossbar before the 15th minute, and Landsberger left his line aggressively in cutting off and punching out serves during the Cougars’ opening barrage of pressure.

Patel swooped up the end line on the left side 25 minutes in, centering a pass that Zach Conrad got a good foot on, only to see Landsberger make a fine kick save on it. Conant’s Tom Kozlowski broke in on the left side and fired diagonally past Landsberger but a Bison defender was there at the far post to clear the shot away.

Conant’s Michael Natalino reached the end line on the right side in the 37th minute and sent a serve whistling past the near post and across the goalmouth, leading to a Cougars’ corner kick.

The subsequent serve saw Landsberger make a diving stop on a Conant head shot, capping a solid half of attacking by the home team.

“It was nice, because we could pass it around a little bit. We were able to knock it a little bit,” Conant coach Jason Franco said. “The same thing happened against Hoffman (Estates). We were all over them but couldn’t score more than one, and then it gets down to the last fifteen minutes and they were pressing to tie the game.”

A more physical game ensued in the second half, a trend that figured to play out in a one-goal game.

“They threw everything at us and they played hard, and they were revved up. But that’s because they thought they had a chance,” Franco said. “And they did, because they were only down by one. If we’re up 2-0 or 3-0, it’s harder for (Buffalo Grove) to get up for that, to come back from such a deficit.”

With his side earning most of the ball throughout Monday’s game, Conant goalkeeper Bobby Potratz and his back line stayed alert to the Bison counterattack, kept things tight, and withstood Buffalo Grove’s predictable late surge.

Potratz had to make a diving save on a shot from distance taken by Buffalo Grove’s Markus Fiordaliso in the second half, and he left his line aggressively to thwart BG’s late pressure.

“We just had to stay organized,” Potratz said. “When they had a counter we had to make sure we had cover, and not let them get any through-balls in. You just have stay aware because if you get complacent, you can get caught flat-footed on one play and get beat.”

The value of having two quality goalkeepers came into play for Conant on Monday, as  Potratz was rock-solid in helping the Cougars to their fifth shutout of the season.

Fellow senior keeper Hugo Gonzalez is currently sitting out with an injury but is expected to return to action. “Bobby played well tonight and it’s a nice problem to have. We have two good goalies,” Franco said. “Hopefully Hugo comes back strong and we can even use him in the field a little bit.”

“I thought Shivam played very well, especially in the first half. His touch was on. But a lot of guys played well. Our touch was on, it wasn’t getting away from us, so we were able to spread the ball around.”

Patel is no secret to anyone in the MSL, a quick and smooth attacking player who has seen more than his share of defensive attention all season.

The home fans complained loudly on Monday when the middle official didn’t whistle a Bison defender for holding Patel inside the penalty area as he was stepping to a ball, but the senior knows it’s all part of the game.

“It’s frustrating when they get away with constant, small fouls, but you’ve got to fight through it,” Patel said. “You can’t lose your head because they’re just trying to take you out of your game. So I’ve just got to keep playing.”

After hosting Wheeling on Tuesday, the Cougars travel to Rolling Meadows on Thursday.