PORTLAND—At some point this season, Portland’s boys’ soccer team will play an 80-minute game.

But the Bulldogs are in no rush to do so.

That’s because playing extra time has treated them extremely well in the early going of the 2024 season.

Saturday morning at Fitzpatrick Stadium, Portland hosted Falmouth in a showdown of top Class A South contenders and while the Bulldogs had ample chances to win it in regulation, Navigators’ junior goalkeeper Caden Berry refused to let it happen.

And as a result, for the third straight game, Portland had to take care of business in overtime.

The Bulldogs missed a penalty kick early but with 23:10 to go in the first half, senior Paulo Joao struck for a 1-0 lead.

Falmouth then answered with 6:21 remaining before halftime, as freshman Wyatt Braun found the net.

Portland had some grade-A chances in the second half, but Berry denied every one and regulation ended with the score tied.

After a first five-minute, “sudden victory” overtime session didn’t produce a goal, the Bulldogs dug into their bag of tricks in the second OT, as with 2:46 left, on a corner kick, junior Baptista Muanda, the hero of Portland’s last overtime win, sent the ball in and senior Silvio Mbayi headed it home for a 2-1 victory.

The Bulldogs, who previously survived rivals Deering and South Portland in extra time, improved to 3-0 on the season and in the process, handed the Navigators their first loss in three outings.

“It’s crazy,” said longtime Portland coach Rocco Frenzilli. “Every time we do this, I’m just so happy for the boys. They just find a way. The guys are just playing so well together. They trust each other. As much as we get on them for not doing what they should be doing, they turn around and do it. When they do that, they become very, very dangerous.”

Two of the best

Frenzilli and Falmouth’s Dave Halligan have a combined three-quarters of a century coaching experience, as well as over 800 victories between them and the two still know how to push the right buttons, as their squads are on the short list of title favorites in Class A South.

While the Navigators prevailed in their first two games, beating host Cheverus (2-0) and visiting Massabesic (11-0), nothing has come easily for the Bulldogs, but they’ve been sprinkled with stardust when it matters mos.

After beating rival Deering in a playoff rematch in the opener, 1-0, on senior David Mawangu’s overtime goal, Portland edged host South Portland, 1-0, Wednesday, as Muanda scored in extra time.

A year ago, the host Bulldogs blanked Falmouth, 2-0, to take a 5-3-1 all-time lead in the series.

Saturday, both teams demonstrated what makes them so dangerous and there were clutch plays made at both ends of the field, but ultimately, it was Portland that struck when it mattered most.

Again.

The home team came out pressing and two minutes in, got the game’s first shot, but senior Felisberto Mamuisi ripped the ball high.

After Berry first got involved by punching away a Bulldogs’ corner kick, he was called for a foul in the box, pushing a Portland player in the 12th minute, giving the home team a penalty kick.

Berry was given a card on the play and by rule, had to come out, meaning freshman reserve keeper Wyatt Binnette had to come in to face the PK, which was taken by Bulldogs’ senior captain Ronan Mas.

All signs pointed to a goal and a Portland lead, but instead, Mas sent the ball wide of the right post and stunningly, the score stayed 0-0, as Berry returned to the field.

Portland senior Ronan Mas takes a first half penalty kick, but would send it wide of the mark. The Bulldogs managed to defeat Falmouth anyway, 2-1, in double-overtime. Hoffer photos.

The Bulldogs could have put their heads down, but five minutes later, with 23:10 on the clock, they broke the ice, as Joao won a contested ball in the box, then ripped a shot past Berry and in to make it 1-0.

Portland nearly doubled its lead a minute later, but Berry denied senior Isaac Rodrigues-Nkanza.

In the 23rd minute, Mas sent a long pass ahead and Mawangu beat Berry, who came out to contest, to the ball, but Mawangu, under pressure, sent the ball high.

Late in the half, Falmouth finally showed some life and was rewarded with a tying goal.

In the 33rd minute, after a Bulldogs’ turnover, Navigators junior Charlie Creswell had the ball come to him and he shot quickly, but Portland senior goalkeeper Marco Cifuentes Ramos dove and made a tremendous save.

That only delayed the inevitable, however, as with 6:21 on the first half clock, after the Bulldogs failed to clear the ball, senior captain Sam Yoon set up Braun for a shot in traffic which sailed past Ramos and in to make it 1-1, which is how the game stood at the half.

While the stats for the first 40 minutes were relatively even, Portland would control play in the second half, only to be stymied time and again by Berry.

Portland senior Felisberto Mamuisi pokes the ball past Falmouth junior Hayden Davis.

After some lax defense by the Navigators, the Bulldogs earned a corner kick just seconds in and nearly capitalized, but Berry lunged to deny a Mas header, then Mawangu’s rebound shot glanced off the top of the crossbar and over.

After Berry broke up a pass from Mawangu to Joao, Mawangu missed just wide and junior Khalifa Mbabo missed high.

With 30:47 to play in regulation, Berry denied a shot from junior Bunga Pedro.

Midway through the half, Mambuisi nearly put Portland in front, as he ripped a surging blast from 30 yards out, but Berry leapt and tipped the ball over the crossbar at the last second and the ensuing corner kick didn’t result in a shot.

With 17:03 to go, Mawangu got the ball in the box from Joao, spun and ripped a left-footed bid, but Berry stopped him cold.

At the other end, Falmouth got its lone good chance of the half, but senior captain Evan Mayo headed senior Wyatt Carlson’s pass wide of the mark.

The Bulldogs then went back on the attack, but after Rodrigues-Nkanza twice missed wide, Pedro sent the ball into the side net and with 4:09 remaining in regulation, Muanda was robbed on the doorstep by Berry.

“Caden kept us in the game and gave us a chance,” Halligan said. “That’s all you can ask for against a good team like Portland.”

Down the stretch, Portland had a corner kick opportunity cleared out of harm’s way and Mamuisi’s shot was blocked, sending the game to overtime.

The Bulldogs continued to press in the first OT, but a shot from senior Osvaldo Silva while falling was saved by Berry, Rodrigues-Nkanza missed wide and Muanda shot high.

That sent the game to a second and final OT where Portland would earn a corner kick and take advantage to finally close it out.

Muanda served the ball in from Berry’s left and sent it right in front, where Mbayi was waiting unmarked. All Mbayi had to do was head the ball home and he did just that and at 12:08 p.m., with 2:46 on the clock, the ball tickled the twine and the Bulldogs were able to celebrate their hard-fought 2-1 victory.

Portland players rush to celebrate after the game-winning score.

“When Baptista got ready to cross the ball, I pointed to where I wanted it and he made it perfect and I just had to use my head,” said Mbayi. “It was a great celebration. I was happy for me and the team. It feels really good. We were confident the whole time. We just had to keep searching for chances.”

“Ronan and Silvio had a decoy move they conjured up,” Frenzilli said. “When (Baptista) hit it, I really thought it was going to go in this time, but I was still afraid (Caden) was going to get a body part on it again. He was outstanding today.

“David always has (Falmouth) prepared. They’re disciplined. They do what they’re supposed to do. We were fortunate to make it happen.”

Portland finished with a 9-2 advantage in shots on frame, got one save from Robles and took eight corner kicks, including the fateful one at the end, to three for the Navigators.

Falmouth got a tremendous effort from Berry, who made seven sensational saves, but couldn’t quite manage to go home with a share of Heal Points.

“We were holding on for dear life,” said Halligan. “In overtime, you have to keep the ball out of your end because anything can happen. Somebody missed an assignment. It’s a tough lesson to learn.

“We started slow. The passes were slow. Everything was slow motion and you can’t play slow against a good team. We sorted it out halfway through the first half, but they wore us down in the second half.”

No days off

Falmouth’s road gets no easier, as it looks to bounce back Monday at reigning regional champion Deering in a rematch of last year’s heartbreaking double-overtime semifinal round loss. The Navigators return home next Saturday to battle Scarborough, another title hopeful.

“I’d like to be 3-0, but I like where we are,” said Halligan. “We’re making progress. We have some young guys contributing and the older guys are holding the fort. We won’t worry about this. We want to win the last game of the year.”

Portland looks for a more orthodox victory when Bonny Eagle pays a visit Monday. The Bulldogs then go on the road to Massabesic Wednesday and Gorham Friday.

“I would say we still need to work on finishing,” said Mbayi. “That’s what we need to improve. The defense has been solid. We just gave up our first goal of the season.

“I really want to go to states. I’m a senior this year and we almost got there last year.”

“Chapter three is in the book and chapter four is on Monday,” Frenzilli said. “We’ll take it one game at a time. The good thing is they can’t take these (wins) away from us.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.