Adversity met

Tony Colistro wanted to put his team to the test before the playoffs roll around.

His wish came true on Saturday night.

Playing on the artificial turf at Fort William Stadium, his Thunder Bay Chill experienced something they haven’t all season long, an opponent taking the lead.

Never mind that it lasted all of six minutes, as the Chill went on to handily defeat the visiting Springfield Demize 5-2 on a pair of goals apiece by defender Axel Sjoberg and forward Sergio Campano Franco to run their record to 9-0-0, the lone team able to boast an unblemished record in the Premier Development League.

“Every game poses different challenges. We’ve never been down a goal this year and I thought we reacted really well and brought the game back to us, going up 3-1,” Colistro said. “I think it was good the way we adjusted. Goals were scored against us and I thought we responded well in the second half.”

A game like this is needed every once in a while, just to let the players know they’re not invincible, despite the perfect start to the campaign.

“You want to be able to try everything. We try to create those situations in practice, when you’re down a goal or something. Today it happened and I thought the players did well responding.”

Goalie Daniel Alavarado, subbing for all-star starter Stephen Paterson, was tested early by the Demize. They got the better of him in the 20th minute, when Julian Salas booted a free kick into a crowd, a ball Dennis Kennetz headed off the fingertips of the Chill goaltender.

But it took the Chill just six minutes to get back on even turf, Sjoberg punching home a loose ball off a Paul Dillon free kick. Two minutes later Campano Franco got loose near Springfield goalie Trevor Spangenberg, who made the initial stop but couldn’t control the rebound.

Campano Franco booted it off Spangenberg’s fingers and the ball trickled just over the line, a controversial call that had the Demize insisting was a non-goal.

Campano Franco made it 3-1 in the 33rd minute, but the Demize rallied with one of their own, Salas connecting on a pin-point shot that Alvarado couldn’t quite handle.

“Give credit to their striker,” Colistro said. “It was a great turnaround half-volley which was tough to get.”
The Chill put it away in the second half.

Sunny Omogerie notched his sixth of the season in the 48th minute, deftly handling a pass from Abraham Villon and depositing it into the Springfield net.

Sjoberg iced it in the 51st, heading home a Dillion corner for the Chill’s fifth and final goal.

“Obviously it was tough going one goal down, which we really haven’t faced this year. It was nice getting the 1-1 equalizer. That was really kind of stealing Sunny’s goal there. That was just a good team effort.”

Still, Sjoberg wasn’t totally satisfied, after the Chill gave up their first two goals at home in 2013.

“I was kind of upset that we let in two goals today, but offensively being able to score two goals, as a defender that’s always nice to be able to contribute on the offensive end. Almost getting three, that would have been really good,” the Swedish import said.

Pitch marks: The Chill hit the road for three games against Springfield, St. Louis and Kansas City, starting next Saturday. Their next PDL home game is scheduled for July 19 against WSA Winnipeg … Attendance was 790 ... The Austin Aztex, the only other team with a perfect record heading into the weekend, played Oklahoma City to a scoreless draw on Saturday, falling to 7-0-1.