Diaz de Leon nets two goals in 3-2 win
Diaz de Leon nets two goals in 3-2 win
By SCOTT FORSTNER
Sports Editor
HOLLISTER – Junior striker Everardo Diaz de Leon’s second goal of Wednesday’s 3-2 road victory over Hollister was the game-winner, as the Mustang kickers claimed their second straight Tri-County Athletic League contest.
The Haybalers scored in the opening five minutes of each half to keep pace with unbeaten Gilroy (2-0, 11-0-4), but Diaz de Leon dribbled through three defenders and then blasted a shot into the corner of the net.
“I don’t know how Evy danced around these hollister players. He beat three guys and rifled a left-footed shot,” Coach Armando Padilla said. “He beat the goalie low. It was just a spectacular shot. That’s the kind of play we need from him every single game.”
Hollister (0-1-1, 3-5-2) caught the Mustangs off guard and quickly jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on senior Jonathan Alouso’s blast from 25 yards out off a feed from teammate Ernesto Lostanau.
“Hollister came out and pressed us and put pressure on us and gave us a game,” said Padilla, whose squad is ranked No. 2 in the section. “They came out in the first five minutes of game and scored a goal.”
Senior midfielder Jorge Plata evened the score up for Gilroy in the 30th minute, volleying in a sweet touch pass from junior teammate Alfonso Motagalvan.
“We were putting a lot of pressure on their goal. Their goalie (Jorge Medina) made some spectacular saves, but finally we were able to penetrate,” Padilla said. “Up to that point, their goalie was pretty much saving everything so Plata placed it pretty well. That guy was like a cat. He really kept them in the game, big-time.
The Mustangs struck again 10 minutes later to thrust into the lead at 2-1 when Diaz de Leon netted his first of two goals on a penalty kick. The deadly striker dribbled across the penalty area and was taken down in the box.
“He pretty much tackled him in the box,” said Padilla of the foul. “Evy took a well-placed shot”
Haybaler head coach Mike Warner saw it differently.
“It was a bad call,” Warner said. “That really gave them life to help them get back into the game. I don’t think it should have been a penalty. The kid blew by Kevin (Vieirra) then stopped and let Kevin run right into him. There is no way for him to stop. It should have been a yellow card against the other player.”
The Haybalers came out in the second half the same as they did at the start, with senior Jorge Lopez scoring the equalizer in the opening five minutes on a blast from outside.
“I’m not sure what was wrong with us. We just came out both halves really, really flat,” Padilla said. “We got a little relaxed and just didn’t have that intensity we normally play with.They caught us off guard.”
It did not happen again, as Diaz de Leon’s goal went unanswered.
“We were a little more offensively aggressive against them than we were against Live Oak,” Warner said. “We decided we wanted to go after them because we thought we were faster, and we wanted to take advantage of that speed.”
Up next for Gilroy is Friday’s home league opener against Palma, while Hollister will host North Salinas on Friday. Both games kick off at 5:30 p.m.
“Give it to Gilroy,” Warner said. “They made two good shots, and they put some real pressure on in the second half.”
JV NOTE: The Gilroy JV team tied the game with a couple minutes left on a goal from Christian Flores to finish even at 1-1.
