The Watertown Raiders boys’ soccer team suffered another defeat, this time in a cracking game at Arlington, 3-2, on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. The loss dropped the Raiders to 2-2 on the season.

The game started out very even as neither team could break the deadlock. That was until Rodrigo Freitas got dragged down inside the box giving the Raiders a penalty. After much consideration of who was going to take it, Freitas took it himself and put the Raiders up, 1-0.

The remainder of the half stayed intense. Right at the end of it, Watertown defender Cody Begg tackled an Arlington player. As he got up, it appeared that he intentionally stepped on Begg’s chest, causing a little brawl to spur out. However, what could have been a red card turned out to be just a foul as the refs didn’t get a clear view of what happened. Begg turned out to be OK and played the rest of the game.

Arlington pushed harder and harder for an equalizer as the second half started. About 10 minutes in, Watertown turned over the ball, leading to a breakaway for Arlington’s Francesco Valagussa, which he converted.

A couple of minutes later, Watertown gave up a penalty, which Valagussa converted to put Arlington in the lead.

Watertown upped their game after being down 2-1. The Raiders connected passes but couldn’t get shots off as the Arlington defense shut them down. That was until Luke Murphy took his chances with a shot.

Murphy, despite having a pulled thigh, one-timed a shot from 35 yards into the top corner. The Raiders went wild and almost knocked over Murphy in excitement. The Watertown defender doesn’t score a lot of goals, but when he does, they are screamers.

Unfortunately, with about 10 minutes left in the game, Watertown again turned over the ball, which led to another breakaway for Valagussa. Watertown defender Chris Iannetta nearly got to him with his unreal pace, but Valagussa put it in the bottom corner.

Watertown kept knocking on Arlington’s door, but couldn’t find an equalizer in the time left.

–Sept. 15, 2018–