Greenwich High boys soccer team storms past Norwalk to advance to state semis

By David Fierro on November 11, 2024 • ( Leave a comment )

**Photo by David Fierro:** Greenwich High School senior Silas Cook controls the ball along the left sideline during the Cardinals’ game against Norwalk in the quarterfinal-round of the CIAC Class LL Tournament. Greenwich won, 4-1.

Facing a one-goal halftime deficit against Norwalk in the quarterfinal-round of the CIAC Class LL Boys Soccer Tournament, Greenwich obviously knew it needed to respond in the second half in order advance to the semifinals and continue its sensational undefeated season.

And the Cardinals responded in huge way, soaring to the Final Four with a dynamic second half.

Behind a four-goal second half, third-seeded Greenwich earned a 4-1 comeback win over No. 27 Norwalk in the Class LL quarterfinals at Cardinal Stadium on Nov. 9. The Cardinals (18-0-3) advanced to tomorrow’s (Nov. 12) CIAC Class LL Tournament semifinals, where they will play seventh-seeded Farmington at Newtown High School with a starting time of 7 p.m.

Junior Francisco Luzuriaga, senior Matthew Maloney, senior Santiago Lattuada and junior Manny Bonilla scored one goal apiece for the Cardinals, who trailed the upset-minded Bears, 1-0, at halftime in this state quarterfinal-round matchup.

Greenwich senior Santiago Lattuada moves the ball along the left sideline during the Cardinals’ state quarterfinal-round game against Norwalk High School at Cardinal Stadium on Nov. 9, 2024. GHS won 4-1, behind four second-half goals.

“Norwalk had an idea about how they were going to get out,” said Greenwich coach Kurt Putnam, whose Cardinals recently won the FCIAC Tournament championship. “They were playing a lot of around the corner passes and a lot of three-man and two-man combinations. I thought both teams were pretty even at halftime.”

Putnam addressed the Cardinals at halftime.

“I told the boys, ‘I’m not so sure Norwalk can play any better than that,'” Putnam said. “They played a really good first half, the coach (Jose Canahui) should be really proud of where they got themselves, they were defending the lead, but I’m not sure if they can really play any better, but I know we still had room to be better.”

“We needed to be better on the second ball, we needed to anticipate the second and loose ball better, our tackles had to be stiffer and we needed to play our game,” Putnam continued. “We had to settle down and start working harder for each other – getting open, communication, movement.”

All of what Putnam noted above happened in the second half and the goals came for the Cardinals.

Photo by David Fierro: Francisco Luzuriaga scored a key goal for the Greenwich High School varsity boys soccer team in its 4-1 win over visiting Norwalk in the CIAC Class LL Tournament quarterfinals. GHS plays Farmington in the semifinal-round.

Norwalk scored the game’s first goal in the 14th minute. Sophomore Juan Mesa scored off a header, giving the visiting Bears a 1-0 lead. The Cardinals tallied the equalizer in the 49th minute. Luzuriaga scored off a shot from close in, tying the score at 1-1. Senior Gui Rizzo assisted on the goal, which gave Greenwich plenty of momentum.

“It was a moment where they got an early lead, it was a great goal for them, but we just kept going, we kept pushing up,” said Luzuriaga, a forward. “The ball came to Gui, he had the ball in front of the net, but he decided to pass it to me, he was very unselfish and all I had to do was tap it in.”

Possessing the ball in space near the sideline, Luzuriaga sent a pass to Maloney, who finished in front, giving Greenwich a 2-1 advantage with 19:05 left in the second half. The Cardinals built a two-goal edge by scoring off a well-executed set piece in the 64th minute.

Greenwich’s Gui Rizzo looks to pass the ball while being pursued by Norwalk defenders during the CIAC Class LL Tournament quarterfinals. Situated down the field for Greenwich is senior Matthew Maloney (No. 10). The Cardinals won, 4-1.

Luzuriaga sent his corner kick into the box and the ball was headed by Maloney. His header hit the upper cross bar and the ball found the foot of Lattuada, who while deposited the ball past the Bears’ goalie inside the left post, putting GHS on top, 3-1, with 16:48 left to play in the second half.

“The first half we went down, we haven’t been down too much this year and I think it was a good test of character for our team,” said Maloney, a forward/midfielder/captain. “We fought back after going down. I think it was good preparation for the upcoming rounds.”

Since dueling Stamford to a 2-2 draw on Oct. 1, the Cardinals have won 12 consecutive games and as Maloney mentioned, haven’t trailed much at all.

Manny Bonilla of Greenwich, left, in action during the CIAC Class LL Boys Soccer Tournament quarterfinals at GHS.

The Cards edged Norwalk in the team’s regular season meeting on Oct. 8, 1-0.

“They’re a great team, when we played them in the regular season, we only won 1-nil, we knew it was going to be a tough game, a tough 27-seed to play and we just had to work hard and get it done,” Maloney said.

Greenwich lost to Stamford in the semifinals of last season’s Class LL Tournament and captured the Class LL championship in 2022, defeating Hall in penalty kicks.

“It feels great, back-to-back semifinals, this win feels amazing,” Maloney said.

Greenwich High’s varsity boys soccer team was victorious against Norwalk High School in the CIAC Class LL quarterfinals.

Bonilla’s unassisted goal in transition capped the Cardinals’ scoring, giving them a 4-1 lead and putting the finishing touch on their latest victory. Greenwich’s defense was stellar throughout and their ball movement offensively, in the second half was outstanding.

“Our best form of defense is offense for us,” Putnam noted. “When we have the ball and we’re doing what we do, the other team really can’t do much.”

Said junior Pietro Carvalho, who was active for the Cards throughout this quarterfinal-round triumph: “We just had to trust each other in the second half. Our captain Matt, he told us that we had to trust each other and play our game and we had the belief to go out and start scoring goals.”

Greenwich senior Joe Nagai in action during the CIAC Class LL quarterfinals, won by GHS, 4-1, over Norwalk.

Senior goalie/captain Miguel Leon made several key saves for GHS, keeping the score at 1-0, so the hosts get could going offensively.

“It feels amazing, I think it’s well deserved,” GHS junior defender Henry Davis said of the quarterfinal-round victory. “The boys put in the effort, the time, the patience. We struggled the first half, but we got there and we’re on to the next round.”

“The second half it was just the boys trusting and believing in ourselves and each other,” Davis continued. “We are able to play with the ball very well, we’re an amazing team when we pass the ball between ourselves and keep possession and the second half that’s what we did.”

Greenwich’s Henry Davis battles for the ball during the CIAC Class LL Tournament quarterfinal-round.

Greenwich defeated its next opponent, Farmington, 2-1 in penalty kicks in the first round of the 2022 Class LL Tournament and was a 3-2 winner against Farmington in the 2019 Class LL tourney semifinals.

“It’s going to take a lot of hard work, we’re playing Farmington, we know they are a great team and we are going to be working very hard to make sure we get the best out of that game,” Luzuriaga said.

Manny Bonilla of the Cardinals duels a Norwalk player for the ball at the CIAC Class LL Boys Soccer Tournament quarterfinals at Greenwich High School’s Cardinal Stadium on Nov. 9, 2024. The Cardinals won, 4-1, and will play Farmington in the semis.

“They’re a tough team, in 2022 we played them, so we just have to play our game, keep attacking like we always do and I think it will go our way,” Maloney said.