What a difference a year has made for the Silverbacks.
The team, which struggled in its first two seasons in the North American Soccer League, captured the league’s spring season title Thursday with a 3-0 victory at Minnesota combined with a loss by Carolina, which was on top of the league standings entering the games.
The title gives the Silverbacks (6-3-3) the right to host the Soccer Bowl, the NASL’s championship game, in November.
“We are very, very pleased,” coach Brian Haynes said.
The team finished last in the NASL in 2011 and second-to-last in 2012. However, the franchise began to find its footing midway through last season when Eric Wynalda was brought on as a consultant. He began to find new talent and appointed Haynes as coach.
Haynes said the players had lost their confidence, so he and Wynalda began to try to instill it back it into them. They also began to infuse the roster with new talent.
By the end of last season, Haynes said the players felt so good about how they were playing they wanted more games.
When this season started, he reminded that they didn’t have any excuses.
“We have enough time, we have enough games,” he said.
The Silverbacks took the lead in the 30th minute Thursday at Minnesota on a goal by Brad Stisser, who headed in a free kick from Pablo Cruz into the near corner. The team added another in the 73rd minute when Bobby Reiss one-timed a low cross by substitute Horace James, who had beaten a defender.
The last goal came courtesy of Ruben Luna, who stole the ball from a defender and slammed in a left-footed effort from 18 yards out a few minutes later.
The players will get 10 days off to enjoy the accomplishment. The second half of the season will begin, oddly enough, at Minnesota on Aug. 3. The team will host Carolina on Aug. 10 in its first home game.
Haynes said keeping the players focused after this new feeling of success shouldn’t be a problem.
“When we started, we were a team that nobody expected to win,” he said. “Now we are the team that everybody expects to win. That will be our motivation.”
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