After weather-delayed first-round playoff win, FC Tucson home again Sunday vs. familiar foe

FCT (8-2-5) hosts the Ventura County Fusion (12-1-2) on Sunday at 7 p.m. in the USL League Two Western Conference semifinals. FC Tucson looks to reach the second weekend of USL Two postseason action for the first time, while the Fusion look to beat FCT for the first time this season.

FC Tucson earned yet another match with its rival after a 3-2 win over Flatirons FC (8-2-3), the Mountain Division champions, on Friday night.

“They play us twice (and) we were the only team that they didn’t beat, so I bet they’re motivated,” FC Tucson head coach Sebastian Pineda said. “It has everything for a big game and both teams are gonna be ready and I’m excited.

“That’s the games we want to play as a coach — as a player,” he added.

In the last match between FC Tucson and the Fusion, 11 yellow cards were drawn in all, including four by FCT players and five by VC players, while two Ventura County coaches drew yellows.

“It was feisty. It’s always difficult to play against Ventura,” said FC Tucson midfielder William Arnesen after the last match against the Fusion.

The teams played to a 0-0 draw on May 24 at Ventura County, and then FC Tucson won 2-1 on June 28 at Kino North.

“It’s a big game,” said FC Tucson midfielder João Belmudes.

The Fusion won FC Tucson’s Southwest Division and are on a five-match winning streak since the loss to the Men in Black. FC Tucson is on a nine-match unbeaten streak, winning six times in that span.

FC Tucson has reached the second match of the USL League Two or Premier Development League (League Two’s previous name) playoff five times in nine seasons. FCT has seven playoff appearances overall at this level.

FCT held off a late rally by Flatirons on Friday night. FC Tucson went ahead with a goal by Belmudes in the 55th minute, and then 2-0 after forward James Jennings scored three minutes later.

Belmudes’ goal was featured on the league’s social media, and he won man of the match.

“To score is always nice but my first thought is always ‘help the team,’” Belmudes said. “I’m happy that we move on. We have another game Sunday so now I’m thinking about get ready, rest, recover for Sunday.”

Jon Pearlman, FC Tucson’s owner and president (and the club’s former head coach) praised midfielder Lars Walczyk, nominating him for man of the match. Walczyk, who plays for University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, played for Flatirons last year, which is in Golden, Colorado.

“I’m so happy. I’m so proud of him because he has been in and out of the lineup,” Pineda said. “Some games he has played 15, 20 minutes and he’s been there — professional, keep working, hasn’t said anything and (Friday) he gets an opportunity in a huge game and that performance was unbelievable.”

Due to weather (then extra time) delaying the first conference quarterfinal of the night at Kino, FC Tucson’s match started at 9:33 p.m., more than two hours after it was scheduled to begin.

Flatirons cut the lead to 2-1 with a penalty kick goal and then after midfielder Jonah Kawamura scored the match winner in stoppage time, Flatirons added another one in stoppage time.

“I would say the guys were just waiting for the game to be done. They’re losing concentration, they know we’re nine minutes into (stoppage) time so that stuff plays a little bit of a role in it but they know,” Pineda said. “They know it wasn’t good enough. They can’t concede. They have to play until the final whistle.

“They’re enjoying the moment. We’re ready for Ventura.”

Ventura County had some trouble in its quarterfinal match.

The Fusion beat Albion SC Colorado (6-3-4) of Boulder, Colorado, 2-1, after extra time. Since the game reached extra time, however, Ventura County had to play a full 30 additional minutes to claim the win, since extra time is not sudden death.

“Oh yeah that’s great,” Pineda said, “that extra 30 minutes in their legs.

“We’re more used to the heat than they are so you take any little advantage that you can get,” he added. “They know us well, we know them very well. So it’s gonna be derby — a division derby.”