Sudden-Death Goal Beats Darkness, Chatsworth

Thursday’s soccer match between Roosevelt and Chatsworth lasted nearly as long as leisure suits did in the early ‘70s. And until the end, it was just as ugly.

Roosevelt fullback Daniel Diaz scored on a sudden-death penalty kick to end the marathon game and give the Rough Riders a 2-1 victory over Chatsworth in the first round of the City soccer playoffs at Chatsworth.

Roosevelt (11-2-2) will meet Kennedy at 2:30 on Tuesday in the quarterfinals. Chatsworth finished 10-3-2.

Diaz’s goal came after 80 minutes of regulation play, 20 minutes of overtime, 10 minutes of sudden death and 15 penalty kicks. And just moments before sundown.

“There’s got to be a better way of deciding a game,” Chatsworth Coach Dick Doran said. “I said that before the game even started. For the kids to play for more than two hours, and then it comes down to something like that, I don’t know.”