Orlando Niolu, a senior with the American Overseas School of Rome Falcons, is contested by the Rota Admirals during the Division II DODEA European Championships at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany on May 20, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

REICHENBACH-STEEGEN, Germany – The Bahrain and Vicenza boys’ soccer teams brought a classic underdog story to life on Tuesday, as both squads pulled off stunning upsets on Day 2 of the DODEA European Division II championships.

Top-seeded Marymount found itself on shaky ground after splitting its matches on Monday heading into a crucial matchup against the Bahrain Falcons.

“They’re first seed … but then Vicenza came in yesterday and beat them, so we were like, this is totally winnable,” said Falcons junior goalkeeper Carson Cicchi.

Despite high tensions and persistent pressure, Cicchi delivered an impressive performance in the 1-0 win over the Royals. He and his back line were nothing short of a brick wall, turning away every shot and keeping a clean sheet.

“I teach the kids to play with fire. I teach the kids to play with effort. I teach them to train hard,” Falcons coach Emiliano Herrera said. “It makes me happy to see them show their talent, their skills, all the little things that we put together to come here.”

The match proved to be a showcase of goalkeeping talent, as Royals sophomore keeper Ernesto Bocca also rose to the occasion — making several crucial saves, including a penalty kick following a handball in the box.

However, a late-game strike by sophomore forward Jesse Jones in the final minutes sealed the deal for fifth-seeded Bahrain, securing the win over the Royals and eliminating Marymount’s shot at a semifinal berth.

Meanwhile, Black Forest Academy was counting on a win over eighth-seed Vicenza, which entered the day with momentum after Monday’s victory over the Royals, to keep their semifinal hopes alive.

But defense was the name of the game, and the match between the Falcons and Cougars ended in a 0-0 draw — a result that sent the Cougars through to the semifinals, an almost unthinkable achievement after not winning a match during the regular season.

“We figured out with the numbers that we needed to win or tie, and I said, ‘I don’t want to go with a loss,’” Cougars coach John Kohut said.

Kohut added that the team came into the match against the Falcons with a fire lit beneath them. A key part of the Cougars’ strategy was rotating players to match BFA’s size and disrupt their usual rhythm, which proved effective in holding the game to a stalemate.

Magnus Aul, a junior with the Naples Wildcats, advances on Aviano defender Joseph Guerrero during the Division II DODEA European Championships at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany on May 20, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Emma Heavey, a junior with the Naples Wildcats, goes up against Aviano senior Irina Poulter during the Division II DODEA European Championships at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany on May 20, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A handball by the Bahrain Falcons lead to a free kick opportunity for the Marymount Royals outside of the 18-yard box during a tough matchup that resulted in a 1-0 win for the Falcons during the Division II DODEA European Championships at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany on May 20, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Bahrain Falcons junior goalkeeper Carson Cicchi hugs one of his teammates after a well-fought win against the Marymount Royals during the Division II DODEA European Championships at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany on May 20, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Also advancing to the semifinals is the American Overseas School of Rome, which secured an early first-half goal against Rota – a lead they successfully defended for the rest of the match.

Thanks to several crucial saves by goalkeeper Valerio Natali, the Falcons shut down the Admirals’ offense to claim a 1-0 victory.

Naples continued to prove themselves as the team to beat, with both the boys and girls squads delivering dominant and consistent performances against Aviano. Each Wildcats team secured a commanding 5-0 victory, using fast-paced, relentless offense to overwhelm Aviano’s defense.

The girls bracket had a sense of deja vu, with results closely mirroring last year’s championship standings as Naples and Vicenza once again are keen on taking the top spots in Thursday’s championship match.

The matchup between Vicenza and the American Overseas School of Rome ended in a 3-0 victory for the Cougars, led by a hat-trick from senior Maya Fitch – her second of the week.

“We have a lot of energy. We’re playing for each other, we’re playing together,” Fitch said after the match. “Our defense is keeping us in the game; offence is making it into a game. So, I think we’re hitting our stride right now.”

Cougars coach Phillip Paniagua expressed confidence heading into Wednesday’s semifinals matchup against Black Forest Academy, which secured a spot with a 3-0 win over Marymount to close out the day.

Rota Admirals junior Jourdan Timmons high fives junior Emma Montoya after a goal against the Bahrain Falcons during the Division II DODEA European Championships at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany on May 20, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Bahrain Falcons sophomore Zoe Abi-Habib dribbles the ball in a match against the Rota Admirals during the Division II DODEA European Championships at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany on May 20, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Vicenza senior Maya Fitch goes up against American Overseas School of Rome freshman Gabriella Cioe in a match that resulted in a 3-0 win for the Cougars during the Division II DODEA European Championships at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany on May 20, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Gabriele Urbinate, a sophomore with the American Overseas School of Rome Falcons, takes a shot on goal while pressured by Rota Admirals center back Eyasu Selam during the Division II DODEA European Championships at Reichenbach-Steegen, Germany on May 20, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

The most lopsided win of the day came out of Rota, as the Admirals bested Bahrain 6-0 in an early afternoon match.

Strikers Kate Warkentien and Jourdan Timmons, along with center midfielder Emma Montoya, formed a dynamic trio in breaking through Bahrain’s defense.

Their seamless passing, sharp communication, and tight ball control dominated the field, leading to a series of rapid goals that forced Bahrain to shift to a five-player back line in an effort to contain Rota’s powerhouse offense.

Once again, the girls division is shaping up for a repeat of last year’s European Championships — barring any major upsets in Wednesday’s semifinals — with the deciding matchups being Vicenza against Black Forest Academy and Naples against Rota.

“Right now, our girls are pumped,” Naples coach Maria Oropallo said. “We’re ready for tomorrow, whoever we have to challenge … and our goal is to also play again on Thursday.”