Blazers, Spartans tie

Down 1-0 at the half Wednesday afternoon to visiting San Juan, the Lindhurst High boys soccer team rallied for two goals, the second coming with six minutes to play.

The current two-time Golden Empire League champions looked as though they might salvage a win, but then, with less than two minutes remaining, the Spartans tied the game on a penalty kick.

Undaunted, the Blazers came right back and looked like they might score the game-winner with just seconds left, especially when San Juan appeared to be guilty of a "handball" in the box.

No penalty was called, however, and the two GEL foes settled for the 2-2 tie.

"I don't know how they couldn't call the handball, especially when it was in the PK box," Lindhurst coach Pheng Xiong said, noting he went up to the two referees after the game to ask for an explanation. "They told me they won't call it if they think it was an inadvertent handball."

Just as that call was a discretionary one, so was the one that led to the Spartans' PK that tied the game.

A Blazer was called for taking down a Spartan in the box. Justin Reyes, San Juan's leading scorer with 12 goals on the season, rifled the penalty kick to the right of the Blazers' diving goalie, Miguel Rodriguez.

"I thought we played a pretty good game," Xiong said. "We passed the ball well and we communicated well."

Lindhurst (4-3-2), San Juan (7-2-2) and Capital Christian all entered Wednesday's contests tied for first in the GEL with 4-1 records. Lindhurst fell to Capital Christian, 2-1, on Monday for its first loss at home in three years.

With the tie, Lindhurst (4-1-1) and San Juan (4-1-1) are in danger of slipping out of first place in the GEL, as Capital Christian was slated to face Encina (3-3-0, 3-2-0) on Wednesday.

The Spartans jumped on top, 1-0, 26 minutes into the game when Valentin Topalu headed the ball up and over a leaping Jose Meza for Lindhurst.

The Blazers scored their first goal 21 minutes into the second half when Luis Palomares lofted the ball just over the head of San Juan's keeper, Gerardo Amezquita.

Jesus Garcia broke the stalemate after taking a free kick from Martin Rivera. Standing just inside the midfield stripe, Rivera launched the long ball that came down in front of the cage. The Spartans' goalie came out to try and grab the ball and when he did, it left the net wide open for Garcia, who had an easy shot.

"We had several other scoring opportunities," Xiong noted.

In the first half, Palomares twice crossed the ball perfectly.

"Their goalie came up with the ball both times," Xiong said. "We were unlucky not to have scored."

Rivera had a strong game at sweeper for Lindhurst, Xiong said, communicating well with both goalies. He also saved one goal. Fullback Nick McCoubrey also had a strong game, once saving a sure goal by clearing the ball when the Blazer keeper was out of position.

"I really thought we were going to win" after going up 2-1, Xiong admitted.

Contact sports reporter Richard Myers at 749-4714 or rmyers@appeal-democrat.com.