Mustangs beat ‘Balers 5-0 on Saturday
San Benito never gave up. Gilroy never let up.
Gilroy swept the two-game season series from San Benito Saturday, as the No. 3 Mustangs ran away with a 5-0 victory at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex.
Following their 1-0 win over San Benito on Dec. 13, in a game where the winning goal came in the 77th minute, the Gilroy boys soccer team switched their formation from a 3-4-3 to a more defensive-minded 3-5-2.
Oddly enough, the approach has netted the Mustangs eight goals in their last two games.
“It’s more defensive, but we’ve been able to get more shots on goal,” coach Armando Padilla said of the 3-5-2 formation. “Also, this past week our theme in practice has been attacking the ball … attacking the ball inside the 18 and it’s definitely paid dividends this past week.”
The ‘Balers trailed 1-0 at the half after Gilroy’ Jose Armando Hernandez connected on a pass from Jorge Sanchez in the 12th minute.
San Benito coach Ben Alvarez said he would have been fine if the 1-0 halftime deficit lasted until the end of regulation, but the Mustangs pocketed four more goals in the second half, including three in a five-minute span, and continually attacked the ‘Baler defense.
“There is a reason why this team is ranked third in the Central Coast Section,” Alvarez said. “All I wanted to do was put in a good show, which they did in the first half. I thought they played outstanding (in the first half).
“But my defense in the second half never showed up. Two goals were wide open – the players were unmarked. That’s what we are learning from.”
Alvarez said that his half-backs and his defense tended to collapse in the middle of the field during the second half, leaving Gilroy the outside area to work with.
“And they created plays on the outside,” Alvarez said.
Beginning at the 52nd minute, Sanchez picked up his second assist when his crossing pass from the left side found Anthony Velasquez directly in front of the net. From there, the Mustangs began to pull rank.
Velasquez’ goal pushed it to 2-nil, while the Mustangs blew the game open in the 56th and 57th minutes, when goals from Hernandez – his second – and Bruce Ocana upped Gilroy’s cushion to four goals.
Ocana and Andy Moya assisted on those two goals, respectively.
Mustang Edgar Hernandez made it 5-0 with a last-second goal in the 79th minute off an assist from Oscar Zuniga.
Edgar Fernandez made four saves for the ‘Balers, while San Benito took six shots on net – three in each half.
“That’s not enough,” Alvarez said.
San Benito (4-7-2, 2-6 TCAL) will host Everett Alvarez on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
