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Second-half surge gives Madison fourth straight division crown

Abraham Bravo had a piece of advice for James Madison teammate Richard Hernandez as he readied to take his 30-yard free kick.

“He told me to kick it like [Manchester United’s] Cristiano Ronaldo,” Hernandez said. “I took his advice.”

While he didn’t quite bend it like Beckham, Hernandez did his best Ronaldo impersonation. He bent the ball in the far corner of the net, getting Fort Hamilton goalie Mateo Arboleda leaning the opposite way.

“I curved the ball and he took the bait,” the senior said.

At the time, it gave the Knights a two-goal advantage late in the second half, but proved to be the winner in a 3-2 victory over second-place Fort Hamilton in PSAL Brooklyn A West boys soccer Friday. The victory earns Madison its fourth straight division title.

“Richie has one of the strongest kicks I’ve seen on my team in a long time,” Madison coach Nick Punzone said. “If it’s on, that goalie better be ready to make a save.”

It is the Knights’ (8-1-3) second come-from-behind win over Fort Hamilton this season. They scored in the final 30 seconds of the team’s first meeting for a 2-1 win on Sept. 23. They trailed 1-0 at the half in this one thanks to a Jonnathan Andrade goal on a cross from David Amiranashvili in the 15th minute.

“We never give up,” Bravo said. “If we are winning or losing it doesn’t matter. We never quit.”

The senior scored twice on nearly identical crosses to the far past from Dimitri Foster in the 53rd and 61st minutes, respectively, to give Madison a 2-1 lead. Foster, who Punzone said has a great understanding of the team’s offense, has developed an awareness of knowing where Bravo in at all times.

“Three years playing together he should,” Bravo said.

On the second goal he was able to slip behind the defense unmarked as Arboleda came off his line to challenge him. Kenneth Lopez added a goal with a second left in the game for Fort Hamilton (7-2-2), who will make the playoffs for the first time in four years.

“We were sleeping,” Fort Hamilton coach Shawn Forthofer said of Madison’s second goal. “In a game like this we have to be aware of everything that is going on.”

The Knights celebrated their title my mobbing each other and jumping up and down together as fans ran onto the field. Still, their sights are set on a much bigger celebration.

“We don’t just want the division,” Bravo said. “We want everything — the city.”