Laguna blanks Mission Viejo, 2-0

The Laguna Beach Soccer Club boys’ under-14 team took another step

closer to achieving its goal of going unbeaten in second half play by

blanking visiting Mission Viejo Soccer Club, 2-0, in Coast Soccer

League action at Moulton Meadows.

The victory not only atoned for a 5-0 defeat to Mission Viejo in

the first week of the season, but also moved Laguna into third-place

in the league standings.

Laguna was in seventh-place prior to the start of the second half

of league play.

Laguna overcame Mission Viejo’s early onslaught of physical play

to score.

Having been awarded a free kick just inside the opposition half,

Noah Michelon floated a perfect pass over several defenders, who had

pushed out rapidly, hoping to catch Laguna offside. Alex Germano had

started his run from deep and as the ball dropped in front of him,

with the approaching goalkeeper out of the goal, he rolled the ball

into the corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead.

With Mission Viejo attempting its trap once more, Bryce Healey

dribbled the ball from inside his own half, Caine Fair checked toward

the ball and the two played give-and-go.

Now inside the opposition’s half of the field, Healey, with two

defenders chasing him and the goalkeeper still to beat, cut inside

one of the defenders and curled a shot into the far corner of the

goal for a 2-0 halftime lead.

“It was one of the best individual goals of the season,” Laguna

Coach Andy Thomas said.

A stout defensive effort and Noah Barker’s protection of the goal

gave Laguna the shutout.

“It was another great squad performance and another deserved win,”

Thomas aid. “It has been a pleasure to coach them during the second

half of the season. They have responded with intensity and maturity.

If they had played this way during the first half of the season they

would be in first place right now.”

In Laguna boys’ Under-11 action:

Newport Beach 1, Laguna 0

Newport Beach’s Mohammad Khakpour Soccer Club broke a scoreless

tie at halftime by scoring the match’s only goal off a deflection to

edge Laguna.

Laguna’s wall-like defense was solid, with Ethan Cochran, Paolo

Noppenberger, Mathew Lunn and Zach LeBon leading the way.

Brian Vail patrolled the midfield with help from Jimmy Kang, Derek

Marolf and Thomas Munayer.

Laguna, which could not score the equalizer, has now lost by one

goal to the top three teams in the league.

“The team is on the brink of reversing the close defeats, and with

continued hard work in practice, will get there sooner than later,”

Thomas said.

In under-10 Division play:

Laguna 3, Pateadores 1

Laguna kept its grip on first-place by avenging a earlier loss to

the Pateadores of Mission Viejo at the Polo Grounds.

That October setback has been the only loss suffered by Laguna in

league play.

The Pateadores looked as though they might be on their way to

victory when they scored an early goal for a 1-0 lead. But Laguna’s

Reece Barton took the ball at mid field and drove right down the

throat of the Pateadores defense and fired a rocket into the top left

corner of the net, to tie the score.

Grifan Fair and Jake Rogers stopped several attacks by the

Pateadores and creating offensive opportunities for Laguna. The

stingy defense of Jovani Reyes, Joaquin Moeller and Jay Williams

helped goalie Alec Williams prevent any further Pateadores goals.

In the second half, Laguna took control of the game.

Matthew Finkelstein sent a free kick at the Pateadores’ goal,

which was deflected by a diving goalie. Teammate Joseph Rousseau,

however, collected the rebound and sent it into the back of the net

for a 2-1 lead.

Laguna would finish off the scoring when Fair cleared a pass down

the left side line to Rousseau, who crossed the ball to Matthew

Finkelstein who, while in full stride, drove a shot inside the right

post past a diving goalie to make it 3-1.

Laguna followed that win with a 2-1 win over the Irvine Lasers.

Rousseau scored a first period goal, and Finkelstein score the

game-winning goal in the second half.