Despite creating numerous scoring opportunities, Cerritos College’s men’s soccer team were not able to take advantage, resulting in a 1-1 draw against L.A. Harbor.
Midfielder Gilbert Rocha said, “It looks like we are in a slump here at home games. We can’t win. We go out, win at away games and smash a team 8-2 and we come back and tie 1-1.”
This is the third game in a row without a win at home for the Falcons, having drawn two and lost one.
“We are really lacking the killer instinct,” Coach Benny Artiaga said. “It’s a situation where I really wish they [Cerritos] would have put the game away.”
In the first half, Cerritos dictated the pace in the game but didn’t put away the opportunities.
The Falcons came out aggressively in the second half and a ground cross into the box was tucked away by freshman Lucas DaSilva, only for the goal to be disallowed due to an offside.
Minutes later, the Seahawks’ goalkeeper, Jack Moore, failed to clear the cross by defender Diego Perez, resulting in a goal by midfielder Mario Guerrero and giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead.
Cerritos had the game under control until a free kick was called for L.A. Harbor in the 70th minute.
The free kick was blocked by the wall only for the rebound shot to take a deflection off DaSilva, which the referee called a penalty for a handball.
Jesus Gutierrez scored the penalty in the 73rd minute to tie the game 1-1.
Artiaga said, “I don’t know what in the world [the referee] is calling and again our kid clearly has his hands [by his side] and [the referee] calls a penalty kick.”
Artiaga would go to say though the referee made a bad call, Cerritos should have closed the game by then.
Cerritos had a chance in the 89th minute to score after forward Connor Johnson left the defender behind and only had the goal keeper in front of him, but was brought down near the box and a free kick was called.
Midfielder Edzon Cuevas’ free kick shot went wide off the left post, leaving the score 1-1.
Cerritos midfielder Michael Bautista said, “We were just unlucky. We just have to work harder and get ourselves into it.”
The Falcons are now 3-1-2 in the South Coast Conference. The next game will be at home on Oct. 21 against El Camino at 4 p.m.
