Thomas Torres broke a scoreless tie in the 65th minute, Dylan
Serrano added the game-winning goal in the 76th, and Sobrato beat
Live Oak 2-1 Thursday in league play
MORGAN HILL — Voices quieted, and the long row of sun-drenched fans gathered Thursday at Live Oak High School craned toward the sideline, anticipating the play that could, for the moment, decide the best boys soccer team in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division — and Morgan Hill.
Sobrato midfielder Jesus Del Real was the center of attention. For what seemed like an eternity, his high-arcing corner kick in the 63rd minute glided toward the far goal post, where teammate Thomas Torres was waiting. Torres’ head met the ball squarely, sending it past the outstretched arms of Live Oak goalkeeper Eric Saavedra — and directly into the crossbar.
“I was mad,” Torres said. “I wanted a goal. That one should have gone in.”
Torres redeemed himself two minutes later. The senior forward broke a scoreless tie in the 65th minute, Dylan Serrano added the game-winning goal in the 76th, and the Bulldogs secured bragging rights and a piece of first place with a 2-1 victory over the Acorns.
Sobrato (6-2-2 overall, 3-0-1 BVAL) moved into a tie with Willow Glen atop the division standings.
“This game was really important in a lot of ways,” said Torres, who leads the Bulldogs with 10 goals this season. “I think we’ll bring this to other games; the feeling of it. And we’ll just keep winning.
“It was awesome to score a goal in this game.”
Torres found the net after Jason Pereira fed him a long pass that landed between Torres, Saavedra and Live Oak’s Nick Ellis. Torres’ foot found the ball first.
“Thomas gets a lot of opportunities,” Sobrato coach Ricardo Martinez said. “He put one away that we really needed.”
Torres’ goal brought life to a game that had grown stagnant after a heated opening 40 minutes. Despite being outshot 15-8, the Acorns (5-2-2, 2-1-1) created several scoring chances in the second half, but could not move the ball with consistency.
Their best look came in the 55th minute when Cesar Lustre headed a cross from less than 10 yards out. Sobrato goalkeeper Simon Schmidt gloved it for his only save of the game.
“I think they’re probably disappointed. But to be honest, I don’t know,” Live Oak coach Tony Goble said. “We were a little bit flat. There was about three guys on the field that really are giving us 110 percent. They’ll leave it on the field. The rest, I don’t know. It’s hard to say.
“Even if we tied this game, I’d say the same thing: They’re better than us right now. You’ve got to be honest with yourself and with your team. We were outplayed.”
Serrano put the game out of reach with a bending shot from 20 yards out. The junior midfielder worked quickly after fielding a relayed pass from Omar Mustafa and Austin Jackson.
“Austin played me the ball from the middle,” Serrano said. “I took one touch toward the center because I knew it would be open, then hit the ball.”
Serrano, Torres and Jackson took a team-high three shots apiece.
Even with a 2-0 lead, the Bulldogs refused to let up.
“I tell them at the beginning of the game, ‘We’ve got to play with the same intensity the whole way through. It’s doesn’t matter what the score is,’ ” Martinez said. “We can be up 5-0. We can be down 5-0. Keep our heads in the game and keep playing hard.”
The Acorns’ goal came during stoppage time when Ellis bounced home a rebound shot off his chest.
“I can tell you Nick … moving him from defense to the offense. Just by watching him during the break, he’s a warrior on the field,” Goble said. “I want warriors on the field; guys that are going to play it hard. He’s a kid that from last year to this year has made huge gains with his soccer and with his touch. Guess what? He’s a force.”
The loss was as much motivating for Live Oak as the victory was for Sobrato. The rivals will meet again Feb. 3 in the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center, also in league play.
“After we lose to our cross-town rivals, we’ve got to keep motivated to beat them next time and, hopefully, make (sectionals) this year,” Ellis said. “We were confident we might be able to come back in this one. It helps knowing we’ll play them again. We can play better.”
Saavedra finished with four saves, and Adolfo Canela booted four shots to lead the Acorns, who travel to Leland on Tuesday. The Bulldogs host James Lick that same day.
