By Phil Murphy
Content Editor, DigitalSports.com
**Check below the story for a video player filled with game highlights and post-game interviews. Re-live it all in 14 min, 39 seconds.**
On Robinson's prom night, Cinderella will dance for precisely one more day.
Robinson's boys' soccer team defeated Thomas Dale, the 2005 and 2006 Virginia AAA state champions, 1-0, to secure only its second berth in the state final since 1987 – and its first this decade.
"Just to know we're the only class to be there since that time, it feels amazing," senior goalkeeper
Adrian Dominguez said. "Robinson soccer doesn't have a big history, like I just said. But to know that we're doing it is pretty awesome."
The Rams held possession on the Knight half of the field for the vast majority of the second half, claiming a 12-4 advantage in shots following half time. But the game remained locked at zero until the 66th minute.
Then, on Robinson's fifth – and final – corner kick of the game, senior midfielder
Andrew Teran's blocked shot on goal fell to the left foot of sophomore striker
Alex Makcumbi.
Makcumbi abruptly flicked the ball in to the right upper-90 – off the hand of Thomas Dale goalkeeper
Bill Groben – for his second game-winning goal of the state tournament. He scored in the 75th minute in Robinson's 1-0 road win over Cox on the road on Tuesday.
"I just pray everyday to come out and play hard," said Makcumbi, who recorded 42 minutes despite coming off the bench. "I don't start. I come in at about 20 minutes ... I know that the defense is tired, so I try to go hard and just do my best."
Added Rams' Coach
Jac Cicala: "Alex is a young player, just coming into his game ... We knew he had the tools early on. He's had two big goals in two big games, so credit to him."
The result – and clean sheet – was secured with a stellar performance by Dominguez. The box score shows he tallied four saves, a gross understatement of his influence in preserving the tie -- and then the win.
"It was chaos, man," said Dominguez, to whom senior captain
Seth Goldman directly credited the win. "If you look at our scores, you can see that we're not a big offensive team. But the offense played awesome today. I barely had anything to do.
"They were all in their half the whole game, taking shot after shot and finally got one in."
Robinson advances to the state championship game at 3 p.m. Saturday at tournament host Westfield. The Rams will face Central Region runner-up Deep Run, which defeated Kecoughtan, 6-0, in the other boys' semifinal on Friday night.
However, the Rams may be without the services of Goldman in the finale. The All-Region selection aggravated his injured left knee in the 39th minute. Goldman has not started since spraining his anterior cruciate ligament in the first round of the Northern Region tournament against Wakefield.
Goldman left the field under his own power, but spent the remainder of the game with ice on his elevated leg. Although running with a slight gait, he joined his teammates in the on-field rush at the final whistle.
"I'm not undermining – by any means – these next teams," said Cicala, whose teams won the 1982, '83, '87 and '88 state championships when he coached at Lake Braddock. "But sometimes you know, and I know, that the semifinal is the toughest. I'm just happy to be playing again tomorrow."
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
1 2 -- F Robinson 0 1 -- 1
Thomas Dale 0 0 -- 0GOALS:RB - Makcumbi (66)
