FORT BENNING, Ga., (May 18, 2016) -- Air Force and Navy met on Stewart-Watson Field May 13 to battle for the title of Armed Forces Soccer Champion. After a fiercely contested match, Air Force edged Navy 3-2 to capture the gold medal.
After losing the championship game to Army in 2015, revenge was heavy on the minds of the Air Force team, said Airman Christopher Grant.
"(We) wanted revenge so bad because we lost to the Army last year, and to come here on Army grounds and win the gold, it's going to be a celebration later," said Grant.
The Air Force head coach Derrick Weyand credits his team with flawless play.
"These guys perfected the game plan and I couldn't be prouder of these guys for executing the plan to a tee," said Weyand.
Despite the win, Weyand admits Navy was their toughest competition.
"Their coach and their team is very tactically sound," said Weyand. "The Navy did an exceptional job."
The win was especially sweet for Air Force as they faced Navy on the second day of the tournament, losing 1-0 after Navy scored an early goal.
The championship game looked like a repeat, as Navy scored in the 12th minute to take a 1-0 lead.
"We knew when they scored early that we better get scoring quickly or they were going to do the same thing to us," said Weyand.
Air Force changed the momentum with a goal in the 17th minute by Christopher Grant, and then took the lead 2-1 with a goal by Micah Cummins in the 45th minute. Benjamin Latimer scored the game winner for Air Force in the 66th minute.
Grant, who was the leading scorer of the tournament, said to play with such high-class athletes was an honor.
"All the players that we play here are all top class players so to be one to stand out, it's absolutely humbling but at the same time you don't know if you should jump for joy or be humbled. They prepared me for this and I gave it my best," Grant said.
Grant said after this he will return to Germany where he is stationed and continue to play and stay in shape in hopes of being selected for the Conseil International du Sport Militaire World Football Cup in January 2017 where 16 teams from around the world will compete. Select players from the Armed Forces Championship tournament will be selected to represent team USA.
In the consolation match, the Marines defeated Army, 3-2.
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