Fleury de Queiroz and RDP Kings Soccer team control Kodiaks in home opener

Brent Forster - RDP Athletics

Red Deer, AB - The last time the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Soccer team faced the Lethbridge College Kodiaks in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) competition was at the conference championship nearly two years ago. The Kodiaks won ACAC gold, but a lot has changed since October 27, 2019.

With a retooled roster, the Kings were looking to make a statement in their first game of the ACAC 2021/2022 season. 

On Friday afternoon, the Kings delivered that bold statement to the Kodiaks and the league with a dominant 5-1 performance at the Red Deer Polytechnic Main Field. 

The home team pressured early and was rewarded in the 24th minute. Third-year forward Pedro Humberto Mourao Neto converted a corner kick from Ajdin Sarcevic past Kodiaks keeper Ethan Demers.

"I thought we started well. It wasn't quite to the speed I was hoping for, but we controlled the play," said Gerald Grobmeier, Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Soccer Head Coach. "Once we got that first goal, we could tell that things started to improve for us even more and we started to play at the game speed that we were hoping to play. Then we took the game to them."

Neto (10)

In the 43rd minute, Red Deer Polytechnic added to its lead. Pedro Humberto Mourao Neto was awarded a penalty kick and the Kinesiology Fitness and Health student found open space in the lower right corner for a two goal edge.

Then as the half was expiring, Kings forward Gabriel Fleury de Queiroz, a third-year student-athlete from Brazil, blasted a penalty kick past Demers in a similar spot as Neto.

After Jesus Amaris pushed the Kings ahead 4-0, Easton Beaulieu put the Kodiaks on the board with a strike to the left side past Kings goalkeeper Jared St Thomas, who was solid in net.

St Thomas

"They had a bit of push back and I think we relaxed a bit after that fourth goal and we got a little bit sloppy for about 10 or 15 minutes," said Grobemeier. "Credit to them, they got a goal back. Our guys regained their composure and took the game away again."

In the 74th minute, Demers couldn't corral a shot from RDP first-year forward Thomson Wellie and Pedro Humberto Mourao Neto deposited the rebound into the open cage for a 5-1 cushion. It was Neto's third goal of the game.

Gabriel Fleury de Queiroz, a Business Administration General Management student, was named the North Star Sports Kings Player of the Game, with one goal and four shots over 77 minutes played.

Fleury de Queiroz

"Gabriel was absolutely fantastic. We were able to keep feeding him the ball and he played extremely directed and attacked their defenders, which I asked him to do," said Grobmeier. "I think he got us two penalty shots from that alone, but he absolutely terrorized Lethbridge's right side."

Vincent Dyck received the recognition for the Kodiaks, playing the entire game and recording one shot.

Dyck

"We are trying to send a message. We are trying to tell everyone that the RDP Kings are coming this year," said Grobmeier. "Lethbridge is going through a transition. Two years ago they beat us in the ACAC final which hurt, but this doesn't make up for that. This was a good statement for us, but we have a lot of work to do still."

The Kings outshot the Kodiaks 22-8.

The Lethbridge College Kodiaks (0-1) will compete against the Olds College Broncos (1-0) on Sunday, September 19 at 4 pm.

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings (1-0) will face the Broncos (1-0) in Olds on Saturday, September 25 at 2 pm.