HS Soccer: Lions road back for 2-2 tie vs. Falcons
By ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
Dec. 8, 2015
PALMDALE - While the final scoreboard showed a 2-2 tie between Palmdale and Eastside on Monday night, there was a clear victor following the chilly Golden League opener.
"We don't like the tie," Eastside head coach David Butzke said. "We're not happy about it, but we'll definitely build on this progress today."
After rallying from two goals down in the second half, the Lions (1-3-2, 0-0-1 GL) liked the tie a lot more than the Falcons (2-0-2, 0-0-1).
Benny Ibarra scored on a penalty kick in the 47th minute and Omar Martinez's goal off a cross from left wing Robin Rodriguez in the 69th completed the comeback for the Lions, whom up until Ibarra's goal had seen few clear scoring chances.
"The momentum of the game changed," Palmdale head coach Christian Hernandez said. "I mean, we can't blame the ref on the penalty, but after that, that's what kind of drained us a little bit.
"You got to give it up to Eastside. They brought the energy in the second half."
But in the first half, it was mostly all Palmdale.
Following three shots on goal for Eastside in the first 10 minutes of the game, the Falcons woke up offensively. In the 13th minute, Jason Barrientos escaped all chasers up the left wing and crossed a ball into the box to Andres Zepeda, who finished the play to give Palmdale a 1-0 lead.
Twelve minutes later, the speedy Barrientos again broke free through the left side and got all the way into the box, finishing the play himself with a low shot to the far post of Eastside goalkeeper Mario Carranza for a 2-0 lead.
"He's a very big part of our team," Hernandez said of Barrientos. "With his speed, that helps, and his experience. He's a big key to the team and he's going to continue to get better."
Trailing 2-0 at the break, the Lions knew they had to be better to have a chance.
"The boys were a little down. We talked a little bit at halftime," Butzke said. "They psyched themselves out, I didn't even have to do much.
"They knew they needed to step up and I'm really proud of them and they're proud of themselves."
Just moments before the penalty kick, Eastside's Carlos Ortiz had a great individual play that almost finished in the Lions' first goal of the night, but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Ruben Rodriguez.
Ruben Rodriguez, who had six saves on the night, could not stop Ibarra's PK shot, however, giving the Lions a goal and a much-needed lift.
"In any soccer match any soccer coach will tell you that first goal, the momentum, you feel like it's on your side," Butzke said. "When the players see it in the net, they visualize it. It's a lot easier to put more into the net."
Eleven minutes from the end, Robin Rodriguez's cross would find Martinez all alone in front of Palmdale's goal and the Lion wouldn't miss.
"Our left wing did a great run and their last man did a mistake by trying to cut in," Martinez said. "I came up alone, I just shot it and it went in."
Up next for the Falcons is a home date with Littlerock on Wednesday. Eastside is at Quartz Hill on the same day.
Ortiz had a chance to give Eastside the win, but his shot went just wide right moments before the game ended.
In the end, the tie was perhaps the fairest result with Palmdale dominating the first half and the Lions the second, but that didn't make it any less bitter for the Falcons.
"Obviously we want to win and being that league starts this early you don't want to lose these games," Hernandez said. "I can afford a tie right now, but as far as my team, I think we need to improve.
"Great first half, bad second half."
Dec. 8, 2015
PALMDALE - While the final scoreboard showed a 2-2 tie between Palmdale and Eastside on Monday night, there was a clear victor following the chilly Golden League opener.
"We don't like the tie," Eastside head coach David Butzke said. "We're not happy about it, but we'll definitely build on this progress today."
After rallying from two goals down in the second half, the Lions (1-3-2, 0-0-1 GL) liked the tie a lot more than the Falcons (2-0-2, 0-0-1).
Benny Ibarra scored on a penalty kick in the 47th minute and Omar Martinez's goal off a cross from left wing Robin Rodriguez in the 69th completed the comeback for the Lions, whom up until Ibarra's goal had seen few clear scoring chances.
"The momentum of the game changed," Palmdale head coach Christian Hernandez said. "I mean, we can't blame the ref on the penalty, but after that, that's what kind of drained us a little bit.
"You got to give it up to Eastside. They brought the energy in the second half."
But in the first half, it was mostly all Palmdale.
Following three shots on goal for Eastside in the first 10 minutes of the game, the Falcons woke up offensively. In the 13th minute, Jason Barrientos escaped all chasers up the left wing and crossed a ball into the box to Andres Zepeda, who finished the play to give Palmdale a 1-0 lead.
Twelve minutes later, the speedy Barrientos again broke free through the left side and got all the way into the box, finishing the play himself with a low shot to the far post of Eastside goalkeeper Mario Carranza for a 2-0 lead.
"He's a very big part of our team," Hernandez said of Barrientos. "With his speed, that helps, and his experience. He's a big key to the team and he's going to continue to get better."
Trailing 2-0 at the break, the Lions knew they had to be better to have a chance.
"The boys were a little down. We talked a little bit at halftime," Butzke said. "They psyched themselves out, I didn't even have to do much.
"They knew they needed to step up and I'm really proud of them and they're proud of themselves."
Just moments before the penalty kick, Eastside's Carlos Ortiz had a great individual play that almost finished in the Lions' first goal of the night, but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Ruben Rodriguez.
Ruben Rodriguez, who had six saves on the night, could not stop Ibarra's PK shot, however, giving the Lions a goal and a much-needed lift.
"In any soccer match any soccer coach will tell you that first goal, the momentum, you feel like it's on your side," Butzke said. "When the players see it in the net, they visualize it. It's a lot easier to put more into the net."
Eleven minutes from the end, Robin Rodriguez's cross would find Martinez all alone in front of Palmdale's goal and the Lion wouldn't miss.
"Our left wing did a great run and their last man did a mistake by trying to cut in," Martinez said. "I came up alone, I just shot it and it went in."
Up next for the Falcons is a home date with Littlerock on Wednesday. Eastside is at Quartz Hill on the same day.
Ortiz had a chance to give Eastside the win, but his shot went just wide right moments before the game ended.
In the end, the tie was perhaps the fairest result with Palmdale dominating the first half and the Lions the second, but that didn't make it any less bitter for the Falcons.
"Obviously we want to win and being that league starts this early you don't want to lose these games," Hernandez said. "I can afford a tie right now, but as far as my team, I think we need to improve.
"Great first half, bad second half."