Early red card seals Thunder Bay’s fate in PDL final; Ottawa’s Chad Bush named top keeper By Steven Sandor Posted on August 5, 2013 Comments Off on Early red card seals Thunder Bay’s fate in PDL final; Ottawa’s Chad Bush named top keeper 0 766 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter The 2013 PDL Championship game should forever be nicknamed the Seven-Minute Final. The Thunder Bay Chill got the opening goal in the second, had its keeper sent off in the third, and gave up the game-tying penalty-kick goal in the seventh. With only 10 men on the pitch, the life was sucked out of the Canadian side’s title challenge, and the Chill fell to the host Austin Aztex 3-1 on Sunday night. Nothing sucks the life out of a big match than an early sending-off; and that’s what happened in the third minute. Just 60 seconds after Pedro Adan gave the Chill a 1-0- lead, stunning the home crowd that was still streaming into House Park, Paterson was whistled for bringing down PDL MVP Kristopher Tyrpack in the box. As it was deemed a professional foul, Paterson saw red. Four minutes later, after back up keeper Daniel Alvarado was brought in, Sito Seoane finished off the spot kick. Just after the 20th minute, Seoane struck again. Sito Seoane And, just before the stroke of halftime, Khiry Shelton made it 3-1. Tyrpack was well behind the back line and in offside position, and that seemed to confuse the Chill. When the ball was sprayed to Shelton streaking down the right side, the defenders were slow to react, as if they were waiting for the flag. Shelton barreled down the pitch, put his low shot away, and the Aztex were up 3-1. The Chill had a wonderful chance to claw its way back into the match just five minutes into the second half. After an Aztex giveaway, 2012 league MVP Sullivan Silva was hauled down in the area. Paul Dillon had the chance to make the score 3-2 from the penalty spot, but his shot sailed high and wide. And, with that wasted opportunity, any air that may have been left in Thunder Bay’s balloon was gone. While both Thunder Bay and the Victoria Highlanders, the Canadian members of the PDL final four, failed in their quests to take the title, there was some good news for soccer supporters north of the border. On Saturday, the PDL awarded Ottawa Fury’s Chad Bush the goalkeeper of the year honour. Bush, the former TFC Academy keeper (CLICK HERE), allowed just one regular-season goal in 10 matches. Bush finished the season with nine straight shutouts and a, this is funny, 0.014 goals against average.
