In the battle of the youthful teams, Gilroy came out on top. At
home against Sobrato Tuesday, five different Mustang players scored
to help Gilroy to the 5-1 win.
Gilroy – In the battle of the youthful teams, Gilroy came out on top.
At home against Sobrato Tuesday, five different Mustang players scored to help Gilroy to the 5-1 win.
And it was a young Mustang – sophomore Aldred Palencia – who played a key role in the game.
“His work rate up front is what kept Sobrato off balance,” said Gilroy assistant coach Brian Hall. “He’s a small kid but he played bigger than his little frame. He must have had a girlfriend sitting in the stands or something today.”
The Mustangs (7-4-2, 4-2 TCAL) rebounded from a tough loss at Salinas last Thursday to score three first-half goals against the Bulldogs (0-5-2, 0-3-2 TCAL).
From the top of the penalty box, senior forward Jose Pineda passed to his left to junior midfielder Noel Vera who blasted a shot past the Sobrato keeper to score Gilroy’s first goal in the ninth minute. Palencia put away the second Gilroy goal in the 21st minute when he knocked in a rebound shot.
Nine minutes later, Pineda got his own goal. Taking a pass from Jose Velasquez with his back to the goal, Pineda faked his defender and scored near post.
“That’s one of his abilities, to play with his back to the goal,” Hall said. “He’s got a knack for making a good judgment.”
In the second half, Gilroy turned on the speed and had several one-on-one opportunities to score. Though the Mustangs missed on several, freshman Bruce Ocana, who was moved up from the JV squad a month ago, found daylight nine minutes into the second half. The freshman used his speed to beat his defender from 30 yards out and scored.
Sobrato scored its only goal of the game with 19 minutes left.
Sophomore midfielder Jose Armando Hernandez scored Gilroy’s last goal of the night – his first of the season.
Gilroy travels to San Benito Thursday for a 5:30 match with the ‘Balers.
