Last night the Fairmont Firebirds Men's Soccer team hosted the Lebanon Warriors at Fairmont Park
Stadium. The Warriors controlled the first few minutes of the game, but Fairmont began to take charge
and press the attack on the visitors. In the twelfth minute, Gavin Weaver made a quick turn outside the
left side of the box and sent a shot toward goal that just missed high. Four minutes later, the Birds’ gritty work in the box produced their only goal on the night coming from Trey Shaka following an assist from Luke Davidson. The Birds continued their pursuit for a second goal, but headers from Jaxen Overfield and Aaron Black in the eighteenth and twentieth minutes were just wide of the target. Two minutes later, the Warriors tied the match with a deflected shot that snuck just inside the right post. The Birds had another goal opportunity in the twenty-sixth minute off a Weaver corner, but the Warriors’ keeper palmed it over the crossbar from close range. Lebanon was unable to muster any further attack, and the teams went into halftime tied 1-1.

The second half saw more attack from both squads, with each team earning five corners apiece. Freddy Irakoze nearly put the Birds ahead in the forty-second minute, cutting inside on the left corner of the penalty area and sending his shot toward goal that the keeper saved. In the forty-ninth minute, Birds’ keeper Carson Dewald was called to action and made a tremendous save at the right post. With
eighteen minutes left in the game, Dewald produced another spectacular double save denying the
Warriors’ the go-ahead goal. Fairmont produced two more quality chances when Ned Bruzzese's shot, that seemed destined for goal, was kept away from a foot-save by the visitors’ keeper. Then five minutes later, Irakoze sent a dangerous low service across the box to an Owen Graf strike that narrowly missed wide of the post.

The dying minutes saw both teams with opportunities from corners, but neither could find the back of
the net and the game ended 1-1.

The Birds host crosstown rival Archbishop Alter High School in the Kettering Derby this Saturday, August 22nd at Fairmont Park Stadium with JV kickoff at 5:00 p.m. and Varsity kickoff at 7:00 p.m. Go Birds!