Independence earns point in season debut on Ortiz tally

CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE

Charlotte Independence players mob teammate Viggo Ortiz after his goal in the 97th minute forced a 1-1 draw at Westchester SC.

Viggo Ortiz won’t soon forget his Charlotte Independence debut.

The 17-year-old midfielder’s goal in the 97th minute lift the Jacks to a 1-1 draw in their season opener at Westchester SC on March 14. Ortiz’s tally on the match’s final play bailed out the Independence, who conceded a goal to Westchester’s Dean Guezen in the first 45 seconds.

“We just mentally fell asleep early in the game and they took advantage,” Charlotte coach Mike Jeffries said. “We spent the better part of the next 20 minutes trying to find the rhythm of the game. We came into the game better at the end of the first half with some really good looks and a crossbar. I thought we started the second half really well and continued to push. I give the guys a lot of credit for fighting through it.”

The Jacks struggled to develop rhythm early before finally getting a shot on goal in the 31st minute that was stopped by Westchester goalkeeper Andrew Hammersley. Charlotte missed another opportunity in the 39th when Jon Bakero’s shot from the penalty spot struck the crossbar and bounced away.

Pushing the attack forward late, the Independence converted their final opportunity to equalize. Clay Dimick’s pass into Westchester’s box was cleared, but Ortiz caught up to the ball and fired the match-tying shot into the net.

“It’s just a special moment scoring a last-minute goal, on my debut too,” Ortiz said. “I’m obviously very happy and grateful to be able to do that. In the moment, I just knew I was going to take the shot, especially when everyone was telling me to hit it. And when I saw it went in, I just went crazy.

Said Jeffries: “It was tremendous composure. We’ve seen him do that in training and so forth, but to do that at that moment in the game is class. He took two touches to set himself up well and just showed a lot of composure to pick the corner and pick it through a lot of bodies in front of him.”

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