The Live Oak boys soccer team picked up its first win of the season on the feet of Yiovanni Amador and the hand of Chris McHenry.
Amador had two second half goals and McHenry came up with a diving save in the 80th minute to give the Acorns a 3-2 win over Westmoor Tuesday night.
“That is one thing that we’ve been practicing a lot that we’ve got to keep up that pressure and we’ve got to be consistent all through the 80 minutes that we play,” said coach Ben Alvarez.
Live Oak improved to 1-1-1 overall with the win.
The Acorns got off to a fast start thanks to Andrew Diaz netting a goal in the opening minutes of the game.
But Westmoor (0-3) answered strike-for-strike and the Acorns settled to go into half tied 1-1.
Both sides appeared to be settling in for a tie, as neither team had much more than a couple quality looks at the goal.
Live Oak had perhaps the best look when Westmoor was carded for a hard foul leading to a free kick just outside the box.
The shot went high, but the Acorns got a second look when Westmoor’s wall was caught moving forward, leading to another booking.
But it was a third free kick in the 68th minute that finally put Live Oak on top.
Amador sent a perfectly aimed shot at the upper left corner of the net that sailed over the arms of Westmoor’s keeper.
“He’s got the ability to put the balls in those corners there and it’s unbelievable to see,” Alavarez said. “I love seeing him take those shots.”
Leading 2-1, Live Oak fell back in defense as the Rams began to blitz to find the equalizer.
That set up the Acorns’ counter attack and in the 73rd minute, it finally broke through.
“Teams come in here, they’re taller and faster, so we have to be able to counter attack on two passes,” Alvarez said. “That is the one thing that we work on: we have to get the ball as fast as we can forward.”
Amador with Diaz, Andres Garcia and Chase Vandenbrandhorninge put pressure on the Rams’ defense setting up Amador with a quality look in front of the net.
His shot was sent back, but he settled the ball and sent a second shot into the back of the net.
The two-goal lead didn’t last as the Rams finally answered in the 78th minute on a shot that found its way under the arms of McHenry.
Now down by a single goal, Westmoor put the pressure into over drive and it paid off in the final minute of the game.
Only, McHenry wasn’t letting lightning strike twice.
The backup keeper left his feet and stopped a ball far to his right, denied by his outstretched hand.
“I’m so proud of this kid. For not playing—he was not getting much playing time—and I needed a goalie,” Alvarez said. “He said, ‘coach I have some experience with that. I’ve played some in rec league.’ I said, ‘I need you,’ and look at him.”
It was the final save he had to make as the official’s whistle blew just a minute later.
Live Oak is supposed to play Christopher in Gilroy on Thursday, but a record-breaking storm in the forecast may force the game to be rescheduled.
