Alejandro Suarez moves the ball forward for Liberty. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
Editor’s note: This story includes two corrections. The Liberty head coach is Matt Anderson and the goal was scored by Rafael Reveles. We apologize for the error.
The Liberty High School boys soccer team defeated Perris 1-0 on Monday night.
The game started off in the visiting Panthers’ favor, as early on they dominated possession. They exploited play down the wing with a few chances in the first few minutes before their first major scoring chance was saved by Liberty’s goalkeeper. From there, play continued to stall before the Bison began to get more chances.
Eventually, the Bison strung together some scoring chances, with their biggest one of the half being a cross that fell on a platter near the 6-yard box but could not be converted. As the half drew to a close, the Bison continued to play together as a team but the game was scoreless.
The second half once again started in the Panthers’ favor. They continued to press Liberty whenever they lost possession, creating trouble for the Bison. Liberty had a tough time stringing together build-up play in the midfield and resorted to playing the ball out from their keeper or defense with long overhead through balls to their forwards, but to little success. Perris had a few major scoring opportunities in the middle of the second half with multiple breakaways being thwarted once again by the Bison keeper, making sure the game stayed scoreless.
Nearing the final 15 minutes of the game, Liberty was able to draw a corner. A half-hearted clearance by the Panthers set up a beautiful cross by Eli Gerges that was put in the net by Rafael Reveles on a header. The broke the deadlock and made Perris rue their multiple missed chances earlier in the half.
That goal was all the Bison needed, as it lit a spark in the team. Perris no longer looked as threatening as they did for most of the game. Those channels down the wing that had threatened the Bison for most of the game were now locked up, and Liberty held on for the win.
Coach Matt Anderson commented after the game about what he was most proud of from his team.
“So I would say overall, unit cohesiveness. We’ve been having a bit of a rough time… we had a rough start to the season,” Anderson said. “Everything clicked. I was telling them they played like a symphony. The ball moves well, they’re connecting their passes, and they’re communicating. It’s all a coach ever wants to see, and these boys got it now.”
Liberty (2-5-1) entered the game in a bit of a rough patch, partly due to a new coach, new system, and getting a late start to the season, but this game and how the team played could be a turning point in the season.
“We didn’t start training until the end of October,” Anderson said. “When I stepped onto the scene, we had a roster of 60 players and I had to build my own JV and varsity roster… and so trying to manage multiple teams, I was spread out very thin. But with all that, we’ve been working so hard, and in our last match, second half, it clicked.
“The unit cohesiveness and the ability to work together clicked, and to see them actually play that way today… I couldn’t be more proud of these boys.”
The Bison will be back in action on Friday on the road against league foe Citrus Hill.
Aaron James (9) tries to beat a Perris opponent to the ball. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
Eli Gerges looks to get control of the ball. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
Blake Mercado (11) chases a ball down the sideline. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
Jayce Pondt’s header missed the goal. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
Jayce Pondt (13) battles an opponent for the ball. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
