American Overseas School of Rome's Ouael Fartas gets a head on the ball before Naples Camden Kasparek can get to it Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in the semifinals of the DODEA European Division II boys soccer championships at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

REICHENBACH-STEEGEN, Germany – For about 73 minutes of its boys soccer semifinal match with Naples on Wednesday, Bahrain was in control.

It looked like Jesse Jones’ first-half score would hold up and the Falcons would advance to Thursday’s championship in the DODEA European Division II boys tournament for the first time since winning it in 2015.

The Wildcats, who haven’t lost all year, looked dispirited.

“I was losing some hope,” junior midfielder Jackson Shorey said. “But we were still taking shots. So, I thought, maybe one will go in.”

Two, in fact, did, both from Shorey. With seven minutes left, he curled in a corner that wasn’t more than a few feet off the ground before it snuck inside the near post. Then in overtime, Shorey took a quick throw-in that seemed to catch Bahrain off-guard. His left-footed shot from right to left again curled right into the goal, this time finding the opposite side of the net. Less than a minute later, the match was over.

“Jackson’s a heck of a player,” Naples coach Chris Kasparek said. “And it shows what happens when you don’t give up.”

There was no giving up by the Falcons either Wednesday. Bahrain, which had tied Naples during the regular season, was devastated by the loss.

“I’ve never had a group like this in my 15 years in DODEA,” coach Emiliano Herrera said. “So it hurts more than double. I thought this was the year we’d make it (to the finals). But I guess that’s not the way it’s supposed to be.”

Kasparek showered praise on the Falcons after the contest.

“They’re a heck of a team,” he said. “We have a lot of respect for them and for the way they play their game.”

The Wildcats also have a lot of respect for American Overseas School of Rome – their opponents Thursday. This will be the third straight year the teams have met in the finals. AOSR won last year, following a Naples victory the year before.

Naples' Camden Kasparek and Bahrain's Jesse Jones battle for the ball in a semifinal game at the DODEA European Division II boys soccer championships Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Bahrain's Mohamed Aljishsi sends a free kick towards the Naples goal Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at the DODEA European Division II boys soccer championships in Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Naples' Jackson Shorey almost had three goals Wednesday, May 22, 2024, but though he got the ball over the head of Bahrain's Jacob Courts, defender Mohamed Aljishi booted it away before the crossed into the goal. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

AOSR 5, Marymount 1: The battle of Rome had a definitive Italian flair, with an all-Italian referee crew and multiple conversations between coaches, players or referees that contained some Italian and some English.

But the Royals, who tied and lost to the Falcons this season, had trouble hanging with AOSR this time around.

The Falcons were up 3-0 by halftime after goals from Valerio Di Cesare, Edward Ferretti and Riley Smith.

Andrea Torelli headed in a corner kick in the second half to make it 4-0 before Marymount’s Giovanni Folio got one back by kicking in the rebound after his penalty kick was blocked initially. Di Cesare added a second goal to finish off the scoring.

Falcons coach Giacomo Castelli summed up his thoughts about playing Naples again in a single word.

“Excited,” he said. “They have a very physical team. We’ll have to play the ball quickly.”

American Overseas School of Rome's Valerio Di Cesare, right, and Marymount's Giovanni Folio race down the field with the ball during a semifinal between the two teams Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at the DODEA European Division II boys soccer championships in Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

American Overseas School of Rome's Riley Smith and Marymount's Giovanni Folio, who each scored a goal, battle at the DODEA European Division II boys soccer championships Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

American Overseas School of Rome's Rayan Ranieri tries to get the ball past Marymount's Zolta Scantoi at the DODEA European Division II boys soccer championships Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

The American Overseas School of Rome took a famous phrase attributed to Julius Caesar and put it on the back of their warmup jerseys before coming to the DODEA European Division II boys soccer championships. The Falcons will determine if that's ultimately true in Thursday's championship match against Naples. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Black Forest Academy goalkeeper Nate Maddox gets to the ball before Vicenza's Raul Carrillo in the Falcons' 4-1 victory in the fifth-place game of the DODEA European Division II boys soccer championships Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)