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Matchday Report: 10-Man Switchbacks Stun Austin Late

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 06/22/21, 11:10PM EDT

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17-year-old Yaya Toure scored last-minute winner in 3-2 victory after Barry’s brace

AUSTIN, Texas – A 90th-minute winner by 17-year-old Yaya Toure earned Colorado Springs Switchbacks  FC a 3-2 victory against Austin Bold FC on Tuesday night at Bold Stadium despite the visitors playing for an hour while down to 10 men. The Switchbacks also got a pair of goals by Hadji Barry, who extended his scoring streak to six games while moving into sole possession of the lead in the Championship’s Golden Boot race with eight tallies for the season.

The hosts got out to an ideal start as Fabien Garcia produced another outstanding free kick in just the third minute to open the scoring. After Omar Gordon was brought down centrally at the top of the penalty area, the Brazilian dropped a shot over the wall defending the right side of the net and into the corner of the net for his second such finish in as many games.

The Switchbacks hit back just past the quarter-hour mark, however, as Barry struck for his league-leading seventh goal of the season. The Guinean forward earned a penalty kick after breaking onto a pass in behind the Austin back line, where he was brought down by goalkeeper Hugo Fauroux, and promptly sent the goalkeeper the opposite way as he shot low to the right corner to level.

Austin regained the lead with a penalty kick of its own in the 30th minute and was also given a man-advantage as Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Lamar Batista was sent off for denial of a goalscoring opportunity after Gordon got in behind the defense and used his speed to race in on goal before being brought down in the penalty area. Sean Okoli stepped up and also fired to the left corner, putting the hosts back on top.

Both sides had chances to find the net denied by good saves in the final 10 minutes of the first half as first Colorado Springs’ Sean Melvin made a diving save to keep out a shot by Emilio Ycaza to the left corner before Fauroux came up big with a point-blank stop that denied Andre Lewis an equalizer for the Switchbacks as the Jamaican midfielder arrived late to get onto a low cross from the right by Deshane Beckford at the top of the six-yard area.

The hosts threatened again four minutes into the second half as Alasanne Ates Diouf cut in from the left and unleashed a powerful shot Melvin had to parry before Okoli sliced the chance on the rebound high and wide. Despite being down a man, though, Colorado Springs leveled as Barry struck again in the 56th minute, roofing a finish from the center of the penalty area after Michee Ngalina centered a low cross from the right side of the penalty area.

Okoli almost restored Austin’s lead with 11 minutes to go as a fine cross from the left by Josue Soto found him at the back post for a downward header that Melvin was able to keep out before his defense cleared the rebound.

But despite Bold FC’s efforts to find a late winner, the decisive blow was delivered by the Switchbacks in the final minute. The play began with former U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Jose Francisco Torres, who pinched up and stole possession in Austin’s half off a throw-in, and while he was brought down, Philip Mayaka carried play to the top of the penalty area. A good challenge by an Austin defender denied Makaya a chance to shoot, but the ball ran loose to Toure, who powered a low shot home to give the visitors a remarkable three points on the road.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Hadji Barry, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – Barry scored twice on his two shots for the game to keep the 10-man Switchbacks in the game and completed 27 of 37 passes and made five recoveries defensively.

Scoring Summary
ATX
– Fabien Garcia 3’
COS – Hadji Barry (Penalty Kick) 16’
ATX – Sean Okoki (Penalty Kick) 30’
COS – Hadji Barry (Michee Ngalina) 56’
COS – Yaya Toure 90’

Full Box Score

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