ASC San Diego Defeats Temecula FC 4-1
By MaryBeth Zmuda/ASC San Diego
On Saturday San Diego’s team defeated the Temecula FC Quails at Mission Bay Stadium in the second of a five-match home stint. Yesterday’s huge win means they have split the first two of those five after a tough loss to FC Arizona on June 13th. Three more at home could mean huge momentum as all teams in the NPSL Southwest Conference are turning their eyes toward the playoffs in a few weeks. While ASC’s standings aren’t currently where they’d like them to be, they definitely still have a fighting chance to climb up and vie for a spot in the postseason action.
The first half of ASC’s match this father’s day was a show of amazing potential that could be unleashed from this young team. Throughout the first half they were able to gain momentum toward the opposite net, including forward Adrian Reyes’ drives up the left side a few times. But once in scoring range there was a disconnect and no shots were able to be taken. A few other scoring opportunities, made up of several set pieces early in the match, also came up empty handed. It wasn’t until the 32nd minute that San Diego was able to break the scoring drought. Temecula’s keeper Benjamin Fish was shown yellow in the box for a foul he committed against ASC team captain Jeroen Meefout.
Meefout took full advantage of this costly error and blasted a rocket that didn’t offer a chance for Fish to get a glove anywhere near it. That goal happened to be the entirety of the first half scoring for either side and the teams went to the locker rooms at halftime with the score resting at ASC 1, Temecula FC 0.
Whatever was missing in the first half of the match for ASC was very definitely found, repaired, or replaced at the midway break. The previous distinct lack of shots on goal for the home team had turned into a flurry of shots that the opposition couldn’t seem to get a handle on. Meefout, who scored in the first half, was able to get two more goals in quick succession after the start of the second, ultimately getting a hat trick for himself. The offensive front ASCSD had created even caused the away side, in an unusual move, to replace their keeper at the 65th minute.
Fortunately for the home squad that strategy didn’t prove as effective as the Quails were hoping. ASC had one more in them before the end of the second half. The 81st minute saw forward Lennyn Carreon grab a pass just inside the box which he was able to boot to the far side of the net and out of fingertip reach for Temecula’s netminder. Carreon, an eighteen-year-old recent high school graduate, is one of many homegrown, elite players currently on both ASC’s women’s and men’s teams. These young up-and-comers from Albion SC’s Pro Pathway are just a glimpse into the future of soccer that is being cultivated within this historic San Diego system.
The remainder of the match left little to do for ASC and they were able to maintain control on the pitch while the clock wound down. As the whistle blew, the scoreboard showed the final 4-1, and their impressive victory.
ASC’s next match is Wednesday, June 30th at Mission Bay Stadium at 6:00 pm. Don’t miss out on the action as San Diego’s team looks to secure another win and three points in the conference standings to gain access to postseason play.
Photo Credit: David Frerker/San Diego Sports Domination
