Solorio ties Lane with 80th-minute goal
Salgado goal earns Sun Warriors point in Premier battle
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Solorio never lost faith in its own ability to reclaim some respect and honor, and underline the point they were a team of skill, talent and perseverance.
By the end nothing could dissuade them from making their point -- underlined and italicized -- with a beautiful and spectacular late rush against no. 16 Lane. Solorio worked through the disadvantages -- conceding a late first half goal that pushed their deficit to 2-0 and then watching a flash of lightning streak through the sky in the 64th minute -- that threatened prevent a comeback.
Solorio’s build-up and ability to combine finally yielded more substantial qualities as junior Omar Salgado collected a ball inside the box on the left edge and drilled a 12-yard ball inside the near post in the 80th minute. The sophomore's second goal of the game left Lane stunned and earned the Sun Warriors a 2-2 regulation draw Monday night at Lane Stadium.
“We had a lot of motivation because last year they beat us 2-1,” Salgado said. “We decided to come back. The delay, when it happened, we just went into the locker room and had a little talk. And we said 'Either we come out hard, or we go home.'”
Lane appeared to have fought off the Sun Warriors’ late charge as senior keeper Fabian Venegas made several striking plays, including consecutive tips off a rocket shot from the right wing by Alex Sanchez and and a point-blank rebound by midfielder Jonathan Vasquez.
The tying goal came with just 35 seconds remaining. The drama marked a wild closing half as Solorio (2-2-1, 0-0-1) fought back its halftime deficit and the distraction of a 30-minute lightning delay that came with 17:19 to play.
“They had heart,” Solorio coach Adrian Calleros said. “When they saw the lightning, they said 'Don’t let that end the game', and "We want to finish the game.' We dug ourselves into a hole. We can either put our heads down and let the game roll on, and they put three or four in on us, or we could dig in our heels and work to get back in.”
Salgado was ready and composed on the late goal.
“It was either take the shot or lose the game, and I just said to myself to take the shot,” he said. “I did, and it went in. What changed for us is that we communicated more than we did in the first half. We had each other’s backs in the second half.”
Lane did not let the shocking late close obscure the strong points from its performance. In welcoming back two key pieces of their attack, the Indians (2-1-1, 1-0-1) looked fluid and sharp in the first half. Marcin Kieta, a talented senior midfielder, returned after missing the first week of the season because of family travels in Poland.
A three-year starter, Kieta is a nervy and skilled player who fuses the disparate parts of Lane’s attack. Kamil Hochman, a sophomore forward, a bigger player with range and good speed, also returned after visiting family in Poland.
“We have a good group of guys, not just on the field, but off,” Kieta said. “We all get along. It was good to be back with the guys and get out there and grind.”
In the 19th minute, Lane senior midfielder Brandon Rivera advanced the ball through the middle and played a ball over the top to Kieta, who controlled the pass, played the ball quickly to his right foot and blasted a short ball between the legs of Solorio keeper Joel Estrada.
“Brandon and I get along very well,” Kieta said. “He’s an elite player. We see each other in the center very well. He saw me, and I got the touch and then I just fired the ball between the keeper’s legs. Lucky enough it went in.”
Lane star senior forward Alex Mezyk pushed the lead to 2-0 in the 38th minute by breaking down the Sun Warriors’ middle and firing a shot from about 19 yards with a clean and perfect trajectory for his fifth goal of the year.
“We had offensive opportunities,” Lane coach Andrew Ricks said. “We did not stop attacking. We had offensive opportunities that we did not convert. Fortunately we did not lose. It was a good match. If we make some of those opportunities, we win. If they make some of their opportunities, they win.
Solorio made the right tactical changes to play to its strengths.
“We settled down and started playing,” Calleros said. “We talked about being more composed on the ball. That was one of the things in the first half. They are obviously a much bigger team than we are. We were trying to play long ball with them, which was was not working ... they are too tall. We started getting a little bit more composed and holding the ball, instead of trying to rip it. We played shorter, got quicker touches and we had a lot more opportunities in the second half.”
The Sun Warriors broke through in the 49th minute. Senior forward Jose Solis, who had several dangerous free kicks in the first half, penetrated the Indians’ back and lofted a ball Sanchez never allowed to hit the ground, smashing a volley inside the far right post.
“I had to look at each side to make sure I had the room to take that shot, and then I just looked forward and the keeper was pushed up on the right side,” Sanchez said. “ I just placed it on the other side. What happened with my goal is that we were down 2-0, and we thought we were done. Once I scored the goal, the momentum changed, it changed to our side.”
The game was fairly evenly contested for the next 15 minutes when the lightning flash suspended play. Refreshed and energized, Solorio was ready to pounce after play resumed. The Sun Warriors dictated the pace and style of play. Lane was suddenly reacting instead of forcing the issue.
“I don’t know if we got too comfortable when we had the 2-0 lead,” Kieta said. “They started throwing all of their pieces forward, and we fell into the game where we started playing a little more defensive, and I think that’s how they wanted us to play. You could tell they are a very good team with the ball, very sharp with it. We kind of played their game in the second half, where in the first half we were going at them and getting players up. In the second half we started dropping.”
Kieta and Sanchez shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction for their efforts.
In its debut Premier Division game, Solorio went on the road against the defending city champion and prohibitive conference favorite and proved its own value and worth.
“Sometimes a tie is just, sometimes it’s unjust,” Calleros said. “Tonight I thought it was a just tie. We outplayed them in the second half. Their keeper made a couple of nice saves. The tie was a fair result.”
It was an exceptional city game, the kind both programs could point to with distinction.
“They are a very good team,” Ricks said. “We had several opportunities we could not finish. It was a good battle. I give Solorio a lot of credit for how they played at the end. As a coach you want that spirit. We tied, though I guess, it feels like a loss because we led 2-1 with less a minute left. We seem to bring out the best in people. That is good, because we want their best.”
Starting lineups
Solorio
GK: Joel Estrada
D: Omar Salgado
D: Julian Arroyo
D: Jonathan Vasquez
D: Oscar Ramirez
MF: Eduardo Franco
MF: Alex Sanchez
MF: David Diaz
MF: David Gamez
F: Jose Solis
F: Carlos Villa
Lane
GK: Fabian Venegas
D: Greg Golba
D: Zach Rogers
D: Jack Erickson
D: Arnel Sinanagic
MF: Dennis Dervisevic
MF: Brandon Rivera
MF: David delaFuente
MF: Marcin Kieta
F: Cathal O’Connor
F: Alex Mezyk
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Alex Sanchez, Solorio, so., MF
Marcin Kieta, Lane, sr., MF;
Scoring summary
First half
Lane -- Marcin Kieta (Brandon Rivera) 19th minute
Lane -- Alex Mezyk 38th minute
Second half
Solorio -- Alex Sanchez (Jose Solis) 49th minute
Solorio -- Omar Salgado (Ricardo Silva-Torres) 80th minute
Salgado goal earns Sun Warriors point in Premier battle
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Solorio never lost faith in its own ability to reclaim some respect and honor, and underline the point they were a team of skill, talent and perseverance.
By the end nothing could dissuade them from making their point -- underlined and italicized -- with a beautiful and spectacular late rush against no. 16 Lane. Solorio worked through the disadvantages -- conceding a late first half goal that pushed their deficit to 2-0 and then watching a flash of lightning streak through the sky in the 64th minute -- that threatened prevent a comeback.
Solorio’s build-up and ability to combine finally yielded more substantial qualities as junior Omar Salgado collected a ball inside the box on the left edge and drilled a 12-yard ball inside the near post in the 80th minute. The sophomore's second goal of the game left Lane stunned and earned the Sun Warriors a 2-2 regulation draw Monday night at Lane Stadium.
“We had a lot of motivation because last year they beat us 2-1,” Salgado said. “We decided to come back. The delay, when it happened, we just went into the locker room and had a little talk. And we said 'Either we come out hard, or we go home.'”
Lane appeared to have fought off the Sun Warriors’ late charge as senior keeper Fabian Venegas made several striking plays, including consecutive tips off a rocket shot from the right wing by Alex Sanchez and and a point-blank rebound by midfielder Jonathan Vasquez.
The tying goal came with just 35 seconds remaining. The drama marked a wild closing half as Solorio (2-2-1, 0-0-1) fought back its halftime deficit and the distraction of a 30-minute lightning delay that came with 17:19 to play.
“They had heart,” Solorio coach Adrian Calleros said. “When they saw the lightning, they said 'Don’t let that end the game', and "We want to finish the game.' We dug ourselves into a hole. We can either put our heads down and let the game roll on, and they put three or four in on us, or we could dig in our heels and work to get back in.”
Salgado was ready and composed on the late goal.
“It was either take the shot or lose the game, and I just said to myself to take the shot,” he said. “I did, and it went in. What changed for us is that we communicated more than we did in the first half. We had each other’s backs in the second half.”
Lane did not let the shocking late close obscure the strong points from its performance. In welcoming back two key pieces of their attack, the Indians (2-1-1, 1-0-1) looked fluid and sharp in the first half. Marcin Kieta, a talented senior midfielder, returned after missing the first week of the season because of family travels in Poland.
A three-year starter, Kieta is a nervy and skilled player who fuses the disparate parts of Lane’s attack. Kamil Hochman, a sophomore forward, a bigger player with range and good speed, also returned after visiting family in Poland.
“We have a good group of guys, not just on the field, but off,” Kieta said. “We all get along. It was good to be back with the guys and get out there and grind.”
In the 19th minute, Lane senior midfielder Brandon Rivera advanced the ball through the middle and played a ball over the top to Kieta, who controlled the pass, played the ball quickly to his right foot and blasted a short ball between the legs of Solorio keeper Joel Estrada.
“Brandon and I get along very well,” Kieta said. “He’s an elite player. We see each other in the center very well. He saw me, and I got the touch and then I just fired the ball between the keeper’s legs. Lucky enough it went in.”
Lane star senior forward Alex Mezyk pushed the lead to 2-0 in the 38th minute by breaking down the Sun Warriors’ middle and firing a shot from about 19 yards with a clean and perfect trajectory for his fifth goal of the year.
“We had offensive opportunities,” Lane coach Andrew Ricks said. “We did not stop attacking. We had offensive opportunities that we did not convert. Fortunately we did not lose. It was a good match. If we make some of those opportunities, we win. If they make some of their opportunities, they win.
Solorio made the right tactical changes to play to its strengths.
“We settled down and started playing,” Calleros said. “We talked about being more composed on the ball. That was one of the things in the first half. They are obviously a much bigger team than we are. We were trying to play long ball with them, which was was not working ... they are too tall. We started getting a little bit more composed and holding the ball, instead of trying to rip it. We played shorter, got quicker touches and we had a lot more opportunities in the second half.”
The Sun Warriors broke through in the 49th minute. Senior forward Jose Solis, who had several dangerous free kicks in the first half, penetrated the Indians’ back and lofted a ball Sanchez never allowed to hit the ground, smashing a volley inside the far right post.
“I had to look at each side to make sure I had the room to take that shot, and then I just looked forward and the keeper was pushed up on the right side,” Sanchez said. “ I just placed it on the other side. What happened with my goal is that we were down 2-0, and we thought we were done. Once I scored the goal, the momentum changed, it changed to our side.”
The game was fairly evenly contested for the next 15 minutes when the lightning flash suspended play. Refreshed and energized, Solorio was ready to pounce after play resumed. The Sun Warriors dictated the pace and style of play. Lane was suddenly reacting instead of forcing the issue.
“I don’t know if we got too comfortable when we had the 2-0 lead,” Kieta said. “They started throwing all of their pieces forward, and we fell into the game where we started playing a little more defensive, and I think that’s how they wanted us to play. You could tell they are a very good team with the ball, very sharp with it. We kind of played their game in the second half, where in the first half we were going at them and getting players up. In the second half we started dropping.”
Kieta and Sanchez shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction for their efforts.
In its debut Premier Division game, Solorio went on the road against the defending city champion and prohibitive conference favorite and proved its own value and worth.
“Sometimes a tie is just, sometimes it’s unjust,” Calleros said. “Tonight I thought it was a just tie. We outplayed them in the second half. Their keeper made a couple of nice saves. The tie was a fair result.”
It was an exceptional city game, the kind both programs could point to with distinction.
“They are a very good team,” Ricks said. “We had several opportunities we could not finish. It was a good battle. I give Solorio a lot of credit for how they played at the end. As a coach you want that spirit. We tied, though I guess, it feels like a loss because we led 2-1 with less a minute left. We seem to bring out the best in people. That is good, because we want their best.”
Starting lineups
Solorio
GK: Joel Estrada
D: Omar Salgado
D: Julian Arroyo
D: Jonathan Vasquez
D: Oscar Ramirez
MF: Eduardo Franco
MF: Alex Sanchez
MF: David Diaz
MF: David Gamez
F: Jose Solis
F: Carlos Villa
Lane
GK: Fabian Venegas
D: Greg Golba
D: Zach Rogers
D: Jack Erickson
D: Arnel Sinanagic
MF: Dennis Dervisevic
MF: Brandon Rivera
MF: David delaFuente
MF: Marcin Kieta
F: Cathal O’Connor
F: Alex Mezyk
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Alex Sanchez, Solorio, so., MF
Marcin Kieta, Lane, sr., MF;
Scoring summary
First half
Lane -- Marcin Kieta (Brandon Rivera) 19th minute
Lane -- Alex Mezyk 38th minute
Second half
Solorio -- Alex Sanchez (Jose Solis) 49th minute
Solorio -- Omar Salgado (Ricardo Silva-Torres) 80th minute