Prep boys’ soccer: Del Oro nets dramatic win over Cordova to move into semifinals
Playoff soccer games get tense.
With time waning in Tuesday’s semifinal between Del Oro and Cordova, stomachs were knotted on both sidelines with the score tied at two in extra time.
Golden Eagles senior Keith Willie was fine with the pressure. A Del Oro free kick near midfield in the extra three minutes resulted in the ball floating from head to head inside the penalty box. Willie made an outstanding move to head the ball into the back of the net. The referee’s whistle blew. Fans could get off the edge of their seats. Players rallied around Willie to slap him on the head and celebrate a 3-2 win that moved Del Oro into the Division II semifinals Thursday against Rio Americano.
“It’s pretty much a big team effort,” coach Dave Shiro said. “I mean, we’ve got an outstanding backline, an outstanding keeper, and our midfield did a great job of slowing their attack. Our defense gave us the platform to win.”
Gusty winds and solid defensive play were the hallmarks of the first two-thirds of the game. The score was tied 0-0 at halftime. But Cordova sophomore Giovanni Reyes scored a left-footed banger from 25 yards out in the 56th minute to give the Lancers a 1-0 lead. Reyes, on the right side of the field, made a quick turn inside to set himself up for a brilliant strike.
The Golden Eagles soon equalized with a free kick from the top of the box. The Lancers committed a handball and Jake Goehring was quick to punish them. Goehring’s shot landed perfectly in the top-left corner of the goal. Minutes later, midfielder Keith Willie hit a powerful strike from outside of the box to give Del Oro a 2-1 lead.
With about 15 minutes remaining, Cordova failed to get any chances. Del Oro seemed to solidify its lead with defensive strength. The referee added three minutes for stoppages. During that time, the Lancers won a free kick which was met with protest by the home fans. Cordova forward Bryan Parra hammered a beautiful strike that slammed off the Del Oro crossbar and onto the head of Lancers defender Jorge Aguirre, who turned it into the back of the net to knot the score at 2 and set the stage for Willie’s dramatic finish. The senior will play for Division I Utah Valley State after he graduates.
Cordova’s coach of 16 years, Eric McCahon, praised his team’s effort this year. For the first time, his team was the joint Greater Sacramento League champions. He said next year’s expectations for his team will be high.
“Now there’s a legitimate expectation of course, and so those guys that played plus the young guys I bring up, now they know that this is what they’re capable of,” McCahon said.
Del Oro faces third-seeded Rio Americano on Thursday, with a chance to play in the Sac-Joaquin Section final on the line. Against common opponents Granite Bay and Folsom, the Golden Eagles fared a bit better in the regular season. But it’s the playoffs. Things get tense. Anything could happen, but Shiro said Del Oro will focus on getting its offense fired up Thursday night. Goals win games, after all.
“Our forwards took a while to get going but eventually they started pushing up the corners, started making some better runs in the middle of the field, and started crossing. Our work paid off,” he said.
This story was originally published February 16, 2022 at 6:25 AM.