Ruden Sports News

Greenwich’s Pietro Carvalho didn’t start tonight’s FCIAC boys soccer championship match, but with time dwindling down and a barrage of chances unrewarded, the senior striker proved he could finish.

Carvalho’s one-touch goal off a corner kick delivery by Francisco Luzuriaga in the 74th minute lifted the Cardinals to a 1-0 victory over Stamford in a steady rain at New Canaan High School. It is their first title since 2017.

“I saw my opportunity, I saw a space in the box, the corner came in fast from Francisco and I got my foot on it and was able to put it away,” said Carvalho, who missed Saturday’s semifinal win over Brien McMahon due to injury. “There were so many emotions. I didn’t know whether to celebrate in the corner or go to the fans. I did what came natural and went and celebrated with the fans. It was an amazing feeling, an amazing time. I’m really happy we won.”

The top-seeded Cardinals (15-0-3) became the first team to go through the conference season unbeaten since they did it in 2016, when they tied Trumbull for the title. It was also their ninth straight win since a streak of three straight ties at midseason, which included a 2-2 decision with the Black Knights. The only goal they have conceded in the last eight games was in the 3-1 semifinal victory over the Senators.

“I would say we probably had better situations in the final third,” Greenwich coach Kurt Putnam said. “The game was fairly even in the middle, but I’d say at both ends we were the more dangerous team and got the ball into more dangerous situations more often.”

Greenwich center back Finn Hugh-Jones was named the game’s most valuable player. The Black Knights are perhaps most dangerous on the counterattack, but they got fewer opportunities tonight because of the play of Hugh-Jones and the remainder of the defense.

Hugh-Jones was not a starter until nearly halfway into the regular season, when Putnam inserted him for situational reasons during a 5-2 win over Ridgefield.

“We were having a bit of a rough time and I put him in and I said go out there and do what you do,” Putnam recalled. “Win every airball, every tackle and don’t let defenders turn on you, and he’s been doing that ever since. They say you never change a winning team and we haven’t.”

It was a disappointing outcome for the seventh-seeded Black Knights (10-4-5), who shared the title in 1997. That was their lone appearance in the final until last season, when in a memorable match they suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to Trumbull.

After their second consecutive one-goal setback Stamford players a the final horn were sprawled out on the field, some, like star Noel Vargas, getting helped to their feet by Greenwich players respectful of the quality of opponent they had just bested. Black Knights coach Mike Summa was also emotional during the postgame medal ceremony, weighed by conflicting emotions after his team had performed so valiantly for a second straight year.

“Any time you are here back to back and don’t get the result we think we deserved it is a little disappointing, but I am just so proud of this group,” Summa said. “They fought really, really hard today. We had chances, they had chances and they capitalized more on their chances obviously. I’m back to where I was last year, trying to find the words for them right now and I don’t have magic words.”

“I thought Stamford had an incredible game as well,” Putnam said. “I’ve been fortunate this year. The players have played so well but it’s hard. It’s a grind and to go unbeaten is a tall feat. It doesn’t happen very often.”