BOISE — Athletic Club Boise’s home opener didn’t have the storybook ending it had hoped for, but the first game played on home soil brought forth an encouraging result and a foundation to build on as a season progresses.
Hosting one of the top clubs in USL League One in the last two seasons, AC Boise and Spokane Velocity FC played to a 1-1 draw Saturday night in front of a crowd of 7,211 at Expo Idaho.
Fans tailgating hours before the game and the River Guard making its annual walk from Brown Beard Brewing to the stadium, eager to see AC Boise make its professional debut in Idaho, was proof of a growing soccer fandom in the Treasure Valley.
“During the walkout it was a little emotional, hearing all the fans cheering and all that and seeing my family,” AC Boise midfielder Blake Bodily said. “It was a special night. Obviously we wanted the three points, but I couldn’t be happier to play in the first game at home.”
While the result in the end wasn’t what it had hoped for, AC Boise had a strong performance on the field, backed by loyal support from the stands.
“The environment of the supporters made this a great moment,” AC Boise head coach Nate Miller said. “It was felt by the team and the players. The atmosphere and vibe that the supporters created was special. It lived up to the hype. The overall night was a special night. We’d love the three points and the win. I thought our performance was very good.”
Despite having a sizable advantage in terms of ball possession in the match, Spokane got on the board first off a miscue from AC Boise on defense. Defender Moussa Ndiaye played a ball to the edge of his own penalty box from the endline to Jake Dengler, who under pressure, passed back to goalkeeper Joseph Andema. With multiple players closing in, Andema made an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by Spokane’s Joe Gallardo in the penalty area, who scored to put Spokane ahead 1-0 in the 21st minute.
For as well as AC Boise had been playing to that point, going behind a goal dampened the mood inside the stadium for the time being.
But the chances and pressure kept coming from the hosts. Holding 68 percent of possession throughout the match, AC Boise continued to send balls into the box. They totaled 35 crosses in the game, compared to 10 for Spokane.
“The counter press was the main thing that created most of our chances,” AC Boise midfielder Nick Moon said. “We had a few turnovers, but winning it back right away and attacking off those counter press moments were big for us. It’s just being switched on for some of those final actions and finishing.”
Eventually, AC Boise’s efforts were rewarded with a penalty kick in the second half. Tumi Moshobane was brought down in the penalty box in the 50th minute. Luan Figueiroa Brito, who made a penalty kick in AC Boise’s previous game, went to the spot again to tie the game up. His penalty was saved going to his right side, but the rebound fell to Moon, who fired a strike on a half-volley for AC Boise’s first-ever home goal.
But for most of the second half, AC Boise’s chances to find a winner fell short. They continued to fire cross after cross into the box, but to no avail.
“I think 80 percent of the game was us attacking them and them defending,” Miller said. “That’s the posture we want to put our opponents in. In football, the hardest thing is to score goals. I was really happy with how we arrived in the final third and how we controlled the game, especially our counter press.”
With a 6-2 advantage on shots on goal over Spokane, AC Boise left the field disappointed in not coming away with all three points, but was encouraged, knowing they’ve shown through the first three games of the season, it can compete with anyone in the league. AC Boise controlled a match against a team that has been to the USL League One championship in each of the last two seasons.
“We know where we stand and where we compete in the league,” Miller said. “We’re very much an attacking, front foot team. They’re a team that’s really focused on staying compact and defending. Everyone has their way and everyone needs to sharpen their way throughout months to be the best at what you do at the end.”