Inter FC completed an unlikely ride to the Imperial Cup following a 1-0 overtime victory over the highly-favoured Columbus FC at Trillium Park last Saturday.
The win gave Inter just its second-ever Imperial Cup and a seeding into the upcoming Provincial Cup. Inter won its first cup in 2001, but went to three consecutive but unsuccessful final games between 2005 and ‘07.
“We knew we had the ability. We had to get everyone healthy and on the same page,” said Inter coach Joe Marrello. “We really put together a good run and deserved the final. I think we had the edge. We played better over the 120 minutes.”
The difference in the cup final came down to two late-season pickups from the 13-time Canadian Interuniversity Sports champion University of British Columbia varsity team.
The game-winner came late in the second overtime period when third-year UBC midfielder Milad Mehrabi, a CIS tournament all-star, took a brilliant through ball from sophomore Thunderbird schoolmate Bryan Fong and beat a couple of defenders before slotting the ball into the back of the net with a hard low shot to the corner from the top of the penalty area.
Fong and co-defender Jordan Michael were both solid on the Inter back end, limiting the chances for the Columbus strikers.
For Columbus, Luca Bellisomo one-timed a Steve DeBlasio corner kick just over the crossbar in the 70th minute, while a Blair Robertson cross was headed just wide of the goal by Graham Smith in the first overtime.
Man-of-the-match, Inter’s 17-year-old keeper Manny Mangu was steller in goal, stopping a first-half rocket of shot on goal by Kazunori Kikuchi.
Inter’s Alex Marrello was also dominant for the Italians in the midfield
along with a healthy Joseph Marrello and Marco Visentin.
Inter finished the season near the bottom of the table, staving off possible relegation with a strong restart in the season, winning nine and losing just one in its last 12 league and cup matches since Christmas.
In the cup playdowns, Inter was pushed to overtime before getting by second-round Division I opposition Vancouver Olympics 4-1.
Inter then edged Surrey United Firefighters 2-1 in the quarter-finals before going on to upset league champion West Van in the semifinals on penalty kicks.
Inter’s only loss in the new year was a 1-0 defeat to Columbus in March.
Ironically, the two clubs will meet again next week in the first round of Provincial Cup play in a rematch of the Imperial Cup final.
