Diaz de Leon scores three in Mustang kickers’ 5-1 home victory
over Andrew Hill
GILROY – Junior striker Everardo Diaz de Leon was fouled in the box, warranting a penalty shot for his team. The coaches shouted to the players to decide who would take the kick between Diaz de Leon and teammate Jorge Plata.
Diaz de Leon already had two goals and with one more would have a hat trick. But instead of taking it himself, the tri-captain let Plata take the shot.
“I wanted us to get as many goals as we can to put them away early,” said Diaz de Leon, who hurt his leg on the foul and didn’t want to risk an off-target shot at the time.
Plata scored on the penalty kick to give the Gilroy High boys soccer team a 3-0 lead in the first half and Diaz de Leon completed his hat trick in the second half en route to a 5-1 home victory over Andrew Hill.
“To tell the truth, I think we could have played better,” Diaz de Leon said. “We had a lot of chances that were easy chances. I had a couple, too. I had another two or three I could’ve put in. We’re not satisfied.”
The deadly striker never looked better – scoring his first of three goals only 19 seconds into the game.
“That’s what we tried to do. We had a meeting in the locker room, and we first said, ‘Let’s try to put them away early,’ and that’s what we did,” Diaz de Leon said following the rain-soaked contest inside Mustang Stadium. “It’s really fast. We’ve got to move the ball fast. We’re a real fast team, and we were able to manage the ball around and we got some goals.”
Rain never stopped falling as the already bumpy field conditions became slick and muddy. But the Mustangs (6-0-2) kept their season-long unbeaten streak intact with swift and efficient scoring.
“We’re going to have to get used to this type of weather, playing at night,” said Coach Armando Padilla, who is considering asking the visiting schools to change back to 3:30 p.m. games on the bigger soccer field. “But I think they are getting used to playing in here. This is like our home field. We’re getting used to the bounce. I think balls bounce in our favor, not necessarily because we’re lucky but because we make it happen.”
Diaz de Leon scored his second goal of the first half when he settled a pass from junior midfielder Alfonso Motagalvan, turned to the goal and blasted one past the keeper with his lethal left foot.
“Today it was a breakout day for him. Today was the game that we’ve been waiting for from Evy all season,” Coach Brian Hall said. “He showed in this game what he’s capable of doing – just placement shots, power shots. He was phenomenal. You couldn’t have asked for more out of him today.”
For the second straight game, the Mustangs were up 3-0 at the half, adding Plata’s penalty-shot goal in the final minutes before the break.
“On Saturday at the Homestead Cup against Independence we went up 3-0, so things are starting to click now,” Padilla said. “There’s still little things we need to work on, but I think, offensively, we’re able to generate and finish now. Before, it was just generating. Now we’re generating and finishing. It could be scary. That’s three goals in the first half in two games – that’s pretty lethal.”
Pure hustle on the part of striker Juan Llamas gave Gilroy a 4-0 lead in the second half as the speedster flew past an Andrew Hill defender to a through ball, just beating the keeper to the ball and then putting it in.
“Llamas is quick. He’s deceptive,” Hall said. “We’ve got him and (Ben) Alcantar, both very deceptive on their speed. They’re explosive. That’s the best word to describe those guys. Even if we don’t score, that keeps the defense constantly on their heals the whole game.”
With Andrew Hill pressing to break the shutout, Diaz de Leon found the back of the net for his third goal – using his off right-foot to beat the goaltender low to give Gilroy a commanding 5-0 lead.
“A goal 19 seconds into the game, that set the tone, the tempo for the game,” Hall said. “The team is really gelling. The chemistry is there. They all work hard for each other, not only in the games but in practice season. I think today was the result of that showed in the 5-1 victory, the result of the chemistry, the result of the hard work in practices. Today that’s what showed on the field.”
The visitors were finally able to break up sophomore netminder Luis Esqueda’s shutout bid on a penalty kick late in the second half, but the defense did not allow a goal otherwise.
“They basically recorded a shutout. It was a sloppy call, sloppy field. Referee called it in their favor, it’s going to happen. But at least we had a five-goal cushion,” Padilla said. “That’s where the difference is where before we were up 1-0 and that could’ve been the game-tying goal.”
The Mustang defense – including stopper Artemio Arteaga in the middle as well as outside backs Aaron Thomas and Ismael Nava – shut down Andrew Hill and never allowed them to get back into the game.
“The goals are coming and our defense is still playing steady. We’re getting better game by game and now hopefully this is Evy’s breakout game,” Hall said. “We did well and this is a team that last year was in the top 10 of CCS all year. We’re not anywhere right now in the rankings and to be honest with you. It’s a good thing. It just gives us more motivation. It gives us something to strive for.”
Gilroy – which will host Seaside at 5:30 p.m. Thursday inside Mustang Stadium – will play its final game of opening pool play in the Homestead Christmas Cup on Saturday against Monte Vista at Evergreen Valley College. The Mustangs have a 2-0 tournament record, defeating Sequoia, 1-0, and Independence, 3-2.
“The practices are great, the coaches, there’s a lot of intensity in the practices, and it all pays off,” Diaz de Leon said.
