Eliud Barrera Scores Go-Ahead Goal, Huskies Ward off Glendale

by Cerwin D Haynes

(thumbnail by Henry Caceras)

With CCCAA Power Points having such impact on playoff positioning, East LA College Men's Soccer knows it can't lose opportunities to bank wins against anyone ranked near or below them. With Glendale City College coming into tonight's game at 5-1-1 and 15.05 Power Points, the Huskies had said opportunity before them.

Their defense almost put them at peril, but their offense bailed them out. In the 74', Sophomore F Eluid Barrera opportunistically booted a sharp 18-footer from center-left in the back right corner of the net to score the deciding goal as ELAC (5-3-1) turned away GCC 3-2.

Sophomore GK Milton Salazar got the win and was singled out by head coach Eddie Flores after the game for his excellent performance. He was only credited for one save, but he had several deflections as well as snuffing out numerous cross attempts by gobbling up the ball.

"He was a man tonight," says Coach Flores. "He gets the game ball."

East LA started off the game on the wrong foot, as the team has developed a habit of giving up goals within the first 15 minutes of play. Mak Hadziosmanovic made ELAC pay for early shoffy defense by booting in an easy goal off a deflection that found him about three feet in front of the net. Fortunately, the Pack also have a habit of finding the back of the net more often this season than in recent history: goals by Johan Elias (Israel Arroyo, 16') and Julio Portillo (Angel Rubio, 37') got the Green to halftime with a 2-1 lead as East LA ramped up the offensive pressure from the 15' mark until the half.

In the second half, Glendale responded as Derik Stepanians' goal tied the game at 2-2. Both teams would fight back and forth for control until Barrera's score gave ELAC the lead. The Vaqueros tried to mount a late rally, but East adeptly warded off their pressure and even created late offensive opportunities that nearly netted them an insurance score while running down the clock.

HUSKY BITS

• Coach Flores and his staff spent most of their postgame speech focusing on defensive miscues as they work to get the team ready for SCC play in October. "We go to conference, they're gonna make us pay," warned Flores as he spoke about the team's habit of giving up early goals and needing to come from behind. "The Mt SAC's, the Cerrtios', the Long Beach's of the world, they get a goal, they're not gonna let us keep coming and coming."

UP NEXT:

ELAC will travel to Victor Valley on Tuesday September 26 before returning back to Weingart to host Santa Barbara on Friday. It'll be the last week of non-conference play before Cerritos comes to Monterey Park on October 3.