Vermont Green FC added another trophy with its victory over West Chester United SC on Saturday evening. The 4-1 win cements Vermont as the top amateur team in the nation.
Seth Wilson earned yet another start in net behind the backline of Riley Moloney, Sebastian Pop, Brandon Marshall, and Aidan Godinho. Tyler Caton and Connor Miller were the midfield duo while Ryan Zellefrow played in his usual free-flowing No.10 role. Marco Dos Santos and Samson Kpardeh were once again on the wings while Arnold Matshazi was the lone striker up top.
The match got off to a methodical start with West Chester racking up possession and scoring off a corner in the fourth minute. The start was the worst of Vermont's season and a real gut punch to the Virtue Field faithful.
But Vermont responded with authority as the dangerous duo of Kpardeh and Dos Santos combined for a goal once again. Kpardeh blew by his defender and sent a ball across the face of goal to Dos Santos who buried the equalizer in the eighth minute.
With the score level, West Chester could no longer sit back and was forced to play a more proactive game. Matshazi displayed some quality hold-up play and got a shot off in the 10th minute that was parried out for a corner.
Kpardeh continued to be a problem for opponents on the flank. His speed is too much for the majority of opponents to handle, and he is then able to create a bevy of scoring chances.
Vermont got some additional chances in the 30th minute with back-to-back corner kicks but the West Chester goalkeeper stood tall and stopped Vermont's attacking chances. West Chester responded with a free kick in the 34th minute and an ensuing corner kick that saw West Chester put the ball in the back of the net but a foul was called on the goalscorer.
As both teams entered the locker room, there was a tension in the air as both teams searched for the crucial goal.
Godinho picked up a yellow card in the 48th minute after a crunching tackle. Dos Santos nearly gave Vermont the lead but his shot was parried wide in the 59th minute. On the ensuing corner Moloney scored an Olimpico to give Vermont the lead.
In the 61st minute, Vermont made its first changes as David Ajagbe and Diego Rosas replaced Matshazi and Dos Santos.
There were shouts for a penalty after a Pop turnover led to a West Chester counter attack in the 64th minute. The West Chester forward stumbled to the ground but the official ruled there was no foul play from Vermont.
The Green made additional changes in the 66th minute as Godinho and Miller were replaced by Nicholas McHenry and Nicolas Loebus. Soon after in the 68th minute Ajagbe assisted on a Rosas goal to give Vermont a 3-1 lead.
In the 74th minute, Kpardeh and Zellefrow came off in favor of Joseph Picotto and Martin Baaken.
For the majority of the second half, West Chester struggled to create anything on the attack outside of the one chance after going down 2-1. The visitors still fought for a goal but seemed to have a letdown after facing a two-goal deficit.
Wilson was called into action in the 82nd minute but swallowed the ball and didnt allow for a rebound. West Chester then got a free kick in the 85th minute but the Vermont wall blocked any chance of a goal.
Baaken capped off the night by chipping the goalkeeper in stoppage time. A cherry on top of what was a great evening for the Green.
While crowned champions of the amateur ranks, now Vermont will look ahead to a Northeast Division title as it continues its effort to defend the USL League Two title.
