Los Amigos boys’ soccer notches comeback win over Fountain Valley
With four consecutive wins to begin its season, the Los Amigos High boys’ soccer team looked poised to build off the success of last season.
The Lobos advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division 3 quarterfinals last season, but back-to-back losses had them looking to right the ship heading into the new year.
After conceding a goal late in the first half, Los Amigos rallied for a 2-1 victory at Fountain Valley in a nonleague match between the crosstown foes on Tuesday afternoon.
Los Amigos (5-2-1) did nearly everything right in the first half, but it was Fountain Valley (2-4-1) that broke through for the game’s first goal on a counterattack in the 37th minute.
Devin La Clair worked the ball in from the right side, and Micah Yanez cut back against two defenders to find the back of the net.
Already with 11 chances toward goal at that point, with eight of those shots on target, the Lobos did not get discouraged. Instead, they got even just a minute later.
Allan Marquina got the ball at the right post, and he sent it over to Oracio Teriquez at the back post for the equalizer.
The junior forward said his team became desperate for a goal after being scored upon, but it was the Lobos’ start to the game that he emphasized.
“We get the possession,” Marquina said. “That’s what we work on in practice, and hopefully seize the first 15 minutes, where it really matters.”
Adam Guillen had stopped eight shots by halftime for Fountain Valley, but it was Austin Quach (one save) who manned the net in the second half.
Los Amigos pulled ahead on a goal by Christian Franco in the 46th minute. Franco lofted the ball in from 30 yards out, appearing to attempt an aerial cross, but with no teammates in the area, the ball’s trajectory took it to the goal.
“He definitely did not mean that, but hey, a goal’s a goal,” said Anthony Gutierrez, part of a dominant Los Amigos midfield that included Randy Arciga and Erubey Bermudez. “We’re glad he got that goal.”
Fountain Valley earned a man-advantage for the majority of the second half, but it came at a price. Yanez had gotten in behind the last defender when Arciga took him down at the top of the box in the 57th minute. Yanez did not return to the contest after the play, and Arciga received a red card.
“We didn’t score any goals, so we got to really tidy it up in the midfield and just have one striker,” Los Amigos coach Jesus Razo said of his team’s response to playing a man down. “Make sure we try to condense the midfield and the defense and make it hard for Fountain Valley to play through us.”
Ethan Larsson’s free kick from the top of the 18-yard box following the foul was blocked by Teriquez, who was part of the player wall in front of the Lobos’ goal.
The Barons had one more chance in the 75th minute. Los Amigos goalkeeper Jorge Sanchez (two saves) took a touch. Then the speedy Noah Baldree intercepted the pass, but in his haste, his shot rolled softly back into the arms of Sanchez.
“Our most dangerous [player] up top was the guy that got fouled and got injured,” Fountain Valley coach Jason Smith said. “[The Lobos] have great skill players, so going down a man, it didn’t affect them because they can keep the ball, where our strength is just sitting back and kind of countering against them. … If we don’t lose [Yanez], we at least tie that game, maybe get more with an extra guy.”
Fountain Valley will compete in the Laguna Hills Hawks Invitational next week, part of a challenging nonleague schedule that Smith hopes will prepare the Barons to be competitive in the Wave League this season.
Los Amigos will begin defense of its Garden Grove League crown at Rancho Alamitos on Jan. 4.
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