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+---- Thread: Academy Task #5: North Shore's S15 SSL Cup Run (/showthread.php?tid=10835)
Academy Task #5: North Shore's S15 SSL Cup Run - Squid - 2026-09-22
The S15 Cup
What is going on SSL this is your boy Squid here diving into a Deep Dive about one of my personal favourite bits of SSL History, the Season 15 Cup. This was one of the craziest runs in league history in my opinion and it definitely isn't just because I am biased from being on the winning side of history. What makes this Season's cup match so special you wonder? Two reasons stand out; this was the last time that a Minor League team won the cup (has not happened since), and the matchup was the same organization, the Minor league club beat the Major league club.
The Group Stage
North Shore United was a completely dominant force in the Minor League that season, with a winning record of 13-0-1. They started their run with a 2-2 draw against the Major League club União São Paulo who would post an 0-14 record this season, morale was not very high for North Shore at the time as if they wanted to have a chance it was gonna take more than a draw against the lowest Major League team at the time. However, game 2 of the group would end up being against another Major League team in CF Catalunya, and a big 3-2 win for North Shore gave them hope. Catalunya would go on to finish 7th in the Major League that season, but the NSU Crew was still happy to be able to earn a win against a major league squad. The next game was the biggest challenge yet, matching up against CA Buenos Aires. But despite it being the largest challenge on paper, North Shore dominated the club, outshooting them with 18-12 and 9-2 on target shots. Sitting with a record of 2 Wins and 1 Draw, North Shore United earned a spot in the Quarter Finals.
The Elimination Rounds
The Quarter Finals had Inter London match up against North Shore, which saw North Shore edge out Inter London with a 4-1 win in the first leg. Building up a 3 goal win was important to make sure they had the tie breaker in case things get dicey later on. In the second leg Inter London would force a 3-3 draw off of some superb goaltending as NSU had an expected goals rate of 3.74 to London's 1.24. But due to the tiebreaker in goals for from the first leg, North Shore takes the Quarter Finals win.
The Semi Finals had North Shore matchup against another Major League Club Hollywood FC. Hollywood was coming off a 7-1 win in the second half of the Quarter Finals and was hoping to keep the momentum going. A very close game saw North Shore outshoot Hollywood, but Hollywood outchancing them. A 1-1 draw in the first leg had both teams a little nervous heading into the second leg, with the winner going on to face one of the top two teams; Reykjavik United or Schwarzwalder FV. Another stunningly close match would be won by North Shore as C.A.S.U.A.L. would put up 2 goals to take the game 2-1 in favour of North Shore and push the team to the Finals where their Major league club was already waiting.
The Finals
For (I believe) the first time, an organization had both of their teams face off in a cup final with everything on the line. The youngsters from North Shore were going to be tested by the older and more experienced Major League players in the biggest match of their careers thus far.
It started off with a bit of an upset as Jean-Claude Goddamn would score 14 minutes in for Reykjavik, but it was disallowed for being offside. With the game entering half time at 0-0 the tension was palpable, Reykjavik United was dominating possession 58-42, Shots 4-3, and Expected goals 0.94-0.23. North Shore would need to come out with a crazy second half if they wanted any chance at this game. The teams would trade a couple chances for the next bit of time, but it wasn't until the 58th minute that the scoreless tie would be shattered. Tentacles would throw it in to Knezevic who would find Del Pirlo streaking into the box and he would bang home a goal off the post to give North Shore the first lead of the game. North Shore would hold off the Reykjavik counter attack and hold the lead until the 71st minute. A North shore set piece would have Knezevic dish it into Bobby who would find Tentacles inside the box who bangs it off a Reykjavik's Zizou Lopta into the back of the net. After a short review, the goal would stand with North Shore only 18 minutes away from raising the SSL Cup.
In the 83rd minute though, Furious Chicken would cross the ball in for Reykjavik straight to Lopta as he tries to redeem himself for the previous goal. He takes the ball from the top of the box, makes no mistake and capitalizes to make it 2-1. Time is running out though, with only 6 minutes and added time to go North Shore just has to keep possession and not let Reykjavik back in with any late game heroics. And they do! They hold them off with no doubt! Just kidding, this would not be a Cup final game without crazy things happening in the final few minutes. Reykjavik would lob the ball into the box where North Shore would head it out to the side, but Reykjavik's Hole LeDiver would recover the ball and dish it to a wide open Zizou Lopta entering the box! An uncontested shot from close would beat the goaltender and we have a 2-2 game in the 92nd minute!
Entering extra time North Shore had a monster second half like they needed, but Reykjavik is still favoured in expected goals and with their more skilled team the longer the game goes on the more it favours them. In the 93rd minute of added time, an unfortunate cross for Reykjavik would hit the hand of a North Shore defender and earn Jean-Claude Goddamn a penalty kick. He would make no mistake and capitalize to give Reykjavik their first lead of the game at 3-2. But in the 103rd minute, North Shore United's Del Pirlo would fight off Rashford and deliver a back post cross directly to Taytow who beats the keeper clean to tie the game AGAIN at 3-3. It seemed like the game would enter the halfway point of extra time with the game tied again, but Reykjavik had other plans. In the 105th +1 minute, Henry Andrews would dish a corner cross to Roberta Scarpetta who would crush North Shore's morale with a header goal to the near post before they have to enter the second half time break. North Shore had 15 minutes left to do whatever they could to try and tie the game or score twice. And who else but Alessandro Del Pirlo would come up clutch? A long ball up the side finds him, he fights off the tackle from Roberto Scarpetta, and proceeds to run down the field looking off his teammates and take the goaltender one on one. After a brilliant strike beats the keeper, the game is once again tied but this time at 4-4. Reykjavik would take a couple more cracks at trying to take the lead but North Shore would hold them off and send this game to penalty kicks.
Penalty Kicks
North Shore's Del Pirlo walks up for the first shot and scores. Reykjavik''s Goddamn walks up and Sterling makes a tremendous save. C.A.S.U.A.L. is North Shore United's next shooter and he buries it with ease. Reykjavik's Henry Andrews follows it up with yet another goal. 2-1 in favour of North Shore with 3 shots each to go. Pat Taytow walks up slowly and drills it past Wall Jr. to put the pressure on again. But Furious Chicken makes no mistake and fires it low past Sterling. 3-2 for North Shore, with Sterling making the only save so far. Ricky Bobby steps up to the ball now, fires it low corner and puts the pressure on Reykjavik yet again. Zizou Lopta has had two big goals so far this game, and walks up to the penalty spot. He has to score to keep this game going. BUT A HUGE SAVE BY STERLING ENDS IT. North Shore becomes part of an exclusive club of winning the SSL Cup while playing in the minor division, and does so by having one hell of a performance against their own majors club.