LANDSTUHL, Germany – Tracey Robertson and the Ansbach boys soccer coaching staff refused to discuss the permutations ahead of the final pool-play matches with their players.

A tie against AFNORTH on Monday during the 2025 Division III DODEA European championships at Rothenborn Stadion in Landstuhl, Germany, forced the Cougars and Lions to consider goal differential as the determining factor for the group’s winner.

Robertson didn’t want her ball club to be distracted.

Ansbach’s Daeveon Browne did the math himself, though, and concluded after the Lions’ six-goal victory over the Tigers early Tuesday that his squad needed a three-goal triumph against Brussels.

Lo and behold when the final whistle blew, the Cougars got exactly what they needed – a 3-0 win.

“I was going over it for 30 minutes, just calculating the possibilities of what I believed would happen,” Browne said. “It was (in the back of my mind during the match).”

The Lions (4-3-3) piled on the pressure during their 6-0 win over Hohenfels to start the day.

It proved not to be enough, as the Cougars (5-3-2) finished pool play with a goal differential of eight to AFNORTH’s seven.

“We knew we needed goals today, and that’s what we did,” AFNORTH captain Santiago Aponte said. “It just was just the luck of the draw. Ansbach played very well against Brussels, and we’re always ready for next opponent.”

The Cougars turned to their captain to reach that magic number against the Brigands (3-5-3).

Browne produced a hat-trick starting in the 17th minute. Freshman left back Donovan Howard booted the ball long, with Browne running behind the Brussels defense before slotting it home.

In the 23rd minute, Browne dribbled through the middle of the Brigand defense for 25 yards before hitting a low shot that slipped through goalkeeper Liam Richard’s hands.

Browne finished the scoring with a penalty in the 53rd minute.

Browne’s coach praised not just Browne’s performance, but the entire team as well. She singled out right winger Lucas Hendrixson and right back Jalen Donaldson as having their best matches of the season.

“Yesterday was emotional, so we came together and talked about family and that means we’re here for each other,” Robertson said. “We were just relaxed, and it just helped everybody focus today, and they just played their best game.”

Despite coming up short from taking the pool’s top spot, AFNORTH coach Manny Duarte can take plenty of positives heading into the semifinals.

The Lions scored just 17 goals during the regular season. They added three goals over two matches on the first day.

So, the six-goal explosion on Tuesday was a welcome sight.

“We’ve had some difficulties offensively throughout the year and tournament, but I’m proud of the way they responded,” Duarte said. “That’s a lot of goals to score in 60 minutes. I think we’re in a good place.”

The Lions’ semifinal matchup: Alconbury.

A Sigonella side motivated by the threat of elimination pushed the Dragons, but the top seed recovered to win 2-1.

Alconbury (9-0-1) went down in the first half with an own goal after Gideon Tesfay pressed the Dragon backline. Not too long afterward, senior Sofia Politis sent a through ball on goal, and fellow senior Aaron Dudley chipped the ball over Sigonella goalkeeper Lasse Nestler for the equalizer.

In the 43rd minute, Dragon striker Keiran Daley pounced on a Sigonella mistake while playing out of the back to score into a wide-open net.

“We’re very adaptable,” Daley said. “It was a struggle at the start.

“We don’t let our heads drop. If we go a goal down, that’s fine. We stay cool, calm and collected, and we just fight as hard as we can to bring it back.”

That result sets a rematch between this year’s top seed and the defending champions.

The two met during the regular season, with Alconbury winning 6-2 on April 11. AFNORTH was missing key players, though, something not lost on the Dragons.

“They’re definitely a different team from the last time we played them,” Alconbury captain Taye Vickerstaff said. “Playing our game is the biggest part. We can’t let them control and dictate how the game goes. We have to take the front foot, try to take an early lead and dictate the game from there.”

As for the other semifinal, Ansbach will take on Spangdahlem, which punched its ticket thanks to a 3-0 victory over Baumholder on Tuesday afternoon.

The Sentinels (5-6) got a brace from senior midfielder Logan Simmers and another goal from senior attacker Zavian Appiah to advance.

It’s the same stage Spangdahlem reached last spring, only to fall short. This time, captain Isaiah Lozano said, the Sentinels are motivated to take the next step.

“It’s definitely been on us all season,” Lozano said. “Coming into the tournament, we knew last year’s results and just wanted to one-up it.”

Sentinels strike against Lions

One member who advanced to the semifinal round with the boys in 2024, Alexis Laurer, has her sights set on the same goal – just this time as a member of a girls program.

The Spangdahlem girls program returned this spring after a one-year hiatus, and the squad is making the most of the opportunity.

The Sentinels upset defending champion AFNORTH 2-1 on Tuesday afternoon. The result was a six-goal swing from when the two met on March 22.

Laurer gave Spangdahlem (7-2-1) the lead early, before a beautiful curling shot by the Lion sophomore striker Emery Koger found the back of the net in the 22nd minute.

In what looked like a possible draw to be decided by penalties, Laurer produced the match winner in the 51st minute a rebound from her own saved shot.

“We’ve just been climbing to the top all season, just getting better and using our momentum,” Lauer said. “We’re a very dedicated team. We love to play soccer. So, when we’re out here with our friends with just have fun and let loose.”

The victory puts Spangdahlem in prime position for a berth in Thursday’s title match. Win, and the Sentinels will play for a title. Lose, and things will get complicated.

In their way is Sigonella (5-4-2), which entered the tournament as the fourth seed.

“We’re just going to play our game and do the best we can,” Laurer said of the team’s mentality heading into the round-robin finale.

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• 2025 DODEA-Europe soccer championships