Patriots shut out Matadors for victory
Pioneer takes 1 game at time ahead of Woodland clash
Pioneer men’s soccer team takes 3-0 win ahead of clash with crosstown rival Woodland High School.
Ahead of their cross-town clash with Woodland High School, the Pioneer varsity men’s soccer remained focused and handled Mira Loma with quick-strike goals, defeating the Matadors 3-0.
“Winning last night’s game was crucial for our team,” Pioneer head coach Annibal Morales said. “Our players knew the importance of winning against Mira Loma. Every game that you play is important, but beating a good team, such as the Matadors, is good news.”
During the game Tuesday night, the Patriots controlled the tempo and much of the ball in the first half. The first goal came courtesy of in form center forward Eric Delgado, who collected the ball near the Matadors box, turned around, and took on the single defender near him.
Delgado has been lights out in these situations all season, and this instance was no different. He would get around his marker and slot home a shot into the bottom left corner of the net. That would be the hot corner all night.
The Patriots had a great chance to double the lead in the dying minutes of the otherwise calm first half. Sophomore Michael Gray stormed down the right flank and sent a cross into the box that somehow found Manuel Esquivel.
From the penalty spot, Esquivel managed to control the ball and get a quick shot on goal aiming for the top corner. Mira Loma’s goaltender got his shoulder on the ball and managed to make a great save, sending the ball just over the bar.
In the second half, Delgado almost got his second goal on a pass over the defender’s heads. From about midfield, Delgado won a footrace with the defender for the ball, used his body to shield the sphere from that defender,
and hit the ball as hard as he could, aiming for the lower-left corner. The shot was just wide but foreshadowed what would come minutes later.
Before Delgado scored his second, Mira Loma had a great chance to tie the game after Esquivel crashed into the back of a Matador attacker inside the box. A penalty was awarded, but the Pioneer goalkeeper would come up huge and block the attempt preserving the Patriots lead.
Mira Loma came into the match with an undefeated 3-0 league record thanks in large part to their massive center backs. Up until the game, they had only allowed three league goals. Pioneer knew they wouldn’t win many headers against a much taller team, so they opted to use their speed instead, and it worked wonders. Especially for Delgado.
In a similar play to his miss earlier, Delgado would receive a through ball that set him free down the right flank after forward Trevor Reiff managed to pass him the ball on the volley near midfield. Delgado once again won his race, composed
himself and shot low and to the left, this time getting his goal and doubling the Patriots lead.
Near the end of the game, the Patriots were deep inside the Mira Loma half when one of their players drew a foul just outside of the box. A perfect pass right into the center of the box met a free-running Cristian Ramirez, who merely had to swing his foot at the ball and redirect it on goal.
With the score 3-0, the Patriots held on in the final minutes and preserved their clean sheet.
The Patriots now head into Thursday’s matchup with Woodland undefeated
in league. The Wolves started league play 0-2 but have bounced back nicely in the last two games outscoring their opponents 13-0 to get back to an even 2-2.
“Every game you win gets you closer and closer to the playoffs and perhaps a league title,” Morales said. “Our team takes it one game at a time, but now we are looking forward to playing “El clásico de Woodland” Thursday.”
With Dixon and Mira Loma ahead in the standings, Woodland will need this game the most, as not to fall too far behind a topthree spot and a playoff berth.