When it is time to pull out the right determination, our Gladiators don’t back down, bringing on to the field their best athletics skills.

Last night, JCU Men’s Soccer Team proved to be more than just individual players. Despite their season in the Universities of Rome Championship started in a not-excellent way, yesterday was the result of all the efforts and commitment that our Gladiators and their coaches have yet displayed all along. In a 3-1 victory, JCU swept over Erasmus In Campus (EIC) in the Quarterfinals and conquered the pass to the Semi-Finals.

“It was definitely not an easy game,” coach Riccardo Concari said. “The opponents were really aggressive, but ultimately, our Gladiators prevailed, playing an excellent game and acting as a real cohesive team.” Then, Riccardo continued, “The initial disadvantage didn’t scare our team who reacted strongly and got in control of the game until the end. This is the path we will need to follow from this moment on.”

In the first half of the game, our Gladiators were losing 0-1, but this temporary result only represented for them an incentive to fight harder, and they were able to tie a few minutes before the firs-half final tip-off.

In the second half, there was nothing left to do for EIC who had to submit to JCU dominance, letting our Gladiators end the game with other two scores.

Every player had an essential role in the game. This is what brought JCU to victory. They never lost the focus, and they fought until the end.

Choosing the Most Valuable Player for this game was a hard choice for the coach, because everyone contributed to win the match in one way or another. However, the rules is to pick one, and this time coach Riccardo wanted to award Francisco Ortega, a player, who was apparently not in the first line during the game, but played fundamentally in his midfield position, closing all the space. He covered his area as instructed, and he also went to help his teammates when they were in a more difficult situation. Great job, Francisco! Keep it up!

A special mention also goes to Josè Pablo Ortega who scored the three goals and led the team to the victory. A victory that, however, would have never arrived without all the players’ contribution. So congratulations to each one of you! You made us proud! You played awesomely, but, most of all, you played with your heart.

Now off to next-week Semi-Finals, where our Gladiators will have to face Link Campus University, the current leading team in the ranking. It is definitely going to be a tough match, so work hard, be ready, and let’s go get this victory!