San Benito’s Andres Hortado scores two goals, leads team to 4-3
win over Everett Alvarez
Hollister
The San Benito boys soccer team may have a home-field advantage.
Playing on the mud-riddled surface of Andy Hardin Stadium, the Haybalers upset third-place Everett Alvarez 4-3 Tuesday behind a pair of goals from Andres Hortado.
After plenty of rain in the recent days, both teams ran amuck on the muck, while San Benito ran their record to 3-6 in the Tri-County Athletic League and snapped a four-game losing streak with the one-goal win.
“The intensity was outstanding,” coach Ben Alvarez said. “I had a real heart-to-heart with the team. We needed to get back in the program. We needed to pick it up.”
Although the Eagles pocketed the first goal in the 21st minute, they were held to just three shots on net for the half.
“They hadn’t played on this all-messed-up field,” said Sergio Lopez, who scored a goal for San Benito Tuesday. “We’ve just got to get used to it … It’s all about teamwork. The more teamwork, the better and easier and faster the game is.”
The ‘Balers had played on the field last Thursday when they hosted Palma. After it rained for much of the day, San Benito battled the Chieftains, and the elements, that evening.
“It’s just that when you try to run, the ball gets stuck and you don’t get that much speed,” Hortado said.
“They’re not used to this (field),” Alvarez said of opposing teams. “So we’ve got to take advantage of this.”
After the Eagles went up 1-nil, the ‘Balers took advantage less than 10 minutes later.
Jose Granados’ kick led a sprinting Hortado into the left side of the box, where the San Benito forward lofted a shot into the right side of the net in the 30th minute to tie the game.
The ‘Balers would take a 2-1 lead to the locker when Manuel Meza’s crossing pass from the right corner found Lopez on the far side of the net. With little ground for traction, the Eagles’ keeper remained on the opposite side of the net, giving Lopez a wide-open shot.
Offensively, coach Alvarez attacked each side of the Eagles defense separately early in the game, searching for a possible weakness, while defensively, he used fullback Alex Alvarez as a “spy,” and had him defend the Eagles’ leading scorer, Alex Jaurequi, in the first half.
“I got experience from football playing cornerback – don’t get burned,” Alex Alvarez said. “The ball would slip and go really fast or it would stop in its tracks, so it was really difficult.”
The Eagles appeared to find their footing in the second half, however. Although both teams put five shots on net for the second half, Everett Alvarez seemed to control the ball in San Benito’s end for much of the final 40.
San Benito’s first foray into Eagles territory, though, netted the second half’s first score.
‘Baler Efrain Espinoza found a somewhat grassy patch on the right side and lined a centering pass to Hortado, who scored his second goal in the 46th minute.
Later, Josh Flores scored what would be the game-winning goal in the 64th minute. After the ‘Baler forward’s first shot was blocked by the Eagles goalkeeper, Flores scored unassisted on a rebound to push San Benito up 4-1.
Despite trailing by three goals, though, the Eagles made the game interesting when they deposited scores in the 66th and 78th minutes. Their last shot, which came with mere seconds remaining in regulation, was a crossing pass that ‘Baler keeper Edgar Fernandez snatched out of the air as time expired.
The two teams split the season series, as the Eagles defeated the ‘Balers 2-1 on Jan. 8.
San Benito (5-7-2 overall) will play at North Salinas Thursday. Kick-off is at 3:30 p.m.
