Hosting the defending CCCAA state champions on Tuesday, the Cerritos College men's soccer team played to a 2-2 draw with Oxnard College. Trailing 1-0 in the first half, the two teams combined for three goals in a span of 2:36, which accounted for the tie. The Falcons (2-2-2) will host Santa Monica College at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
After surrendering a goal in the 15th minute, Cerritos scored twice in 1:23 to take a 2-1 lead, thanks to a pair of goals from freshman Oscar Canela (Paramount HS). But the lead didn't last long, as the Condors Luis Carbajal scored 1:13 later, which tied the game. Both teams had limited scoring chances in the second half, with Cerritos getting two late chances.
On the first Falcons goal, freshman Hector Jimenez (South East HS) led Canela with a lead pass, whose low shot to the far side of the net got past goalkeeper Matthew Escareno. Sophomore Edwin Corona (Cathedral HS) made a nice move around a Condor defenseman, which freed him up to get the ball to Canela, who was faced with Escareno. The keeper came out of the net to defend the ball and Canela was able to get a clean shot to the far post and his team-leading fourth goal of the season and a 2-1 advantage.
Carbajal, who had a great scoring chance earlier in the first half, caught sophomore goalie Ivan Martin Del Campo (Granada Hills Kennedy HS) unaware and his shot went into the net uncontested and the teams were tied.
In the 80th minute, freshman Luis Garcia (La Habra HS) stole the ball from Oxnard's Mario Sermeno deep in Condor territory and passed the ball to Canela. He took off on the edge looking for an angle, but could not get off a clean shot. Just four minutes later the same duo looked to give Cerritos the lead. Escareno came out of the net to cut off the angle, but Canela's shot was deflected wide by the Condors Miguel Coronel.
Photos by Daryl Peterson
