HUNTSVILLE — As storms approached the area Sunday night, lightning struck quickly for Huntsville City FC in its match with St. Louis City 2.
Lightning, as in a goal by Huntsville City’s Jony Bolaños.
Quickly, as just nine seconds into the match to help send HCFC to a 4-2 win. It was the fastest goal in team history and tied for the fastest goal in MLS NEXT Pro history.
On the play, Bolaños took a long pass from Ollie Wright on the kickoff and fired it into the top of the net.
“It was a fantastic start, a great way to start the game,” said head coach Jack Collison.
The score was a designed play, according to Collison.
“I must credit that to Coach Omar (Jarun) who worked so diligently on how we kick off,” Collison said. “It was actually a set move … you can see the excitement when it comes off.”
Kemy Amiche scored a pair of second-half goals and added an assist for HCFC who trailed 2-1 in the first half.
Amiche, who came on for the injured Ollie Wright, picked up his assist just 3 minutes into the second half. On the play, he passed to Adem Sipić who converted it for his first professional goal and a 2-2 score.
“We came into our locker room knowing we have to have a better performance in the second half … we have to step up,” said Sipić. “We came out with energy and we knew what we had to do and just did the job.”
At the 65-minute mark, Bolaños was taken down in the box, and Amiche converted the penalty, which proved to be the eventual game-winning score.
But, just three minutes later, Amiche took a pass from Josh Drack and beat the goalkeeper for his second goal of the game. On the play, he became the first Huntsville City FC player with two goals and an assist in one game.
Now Huntsville City (2-6-3, 3 shootout wins) will visit Toronto FC II (3-7-2, 1 SOW) for a match Thursday and return home to face Inter Miami II on Sunday – a span of three matches in 7 days.
Collison called the three-match stretch “the most pivotal week of the season.”
“It’s the perfect start to probably the most pivotal week of the season in terms of results and where we want to end up,” he said.
“We know it’s tough to play three games in one week,” said Amiche. “We have to enjoy this moment but tomorrow morning is another day and we have to prepare for Toronto.
“It’s good we won but now we have to focus on the next game.”
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