The short-handed Weston Fury 87/88 Premier boys’ team scored first but then gave up four goals and scored only one more against the Wellington Wave Sept. 25 at Village Park in Weston.
Weston had to play the match with only 12 players, missing three midfielders, including starters Luis Alva (pulled hamstring) and Matt Mobley (bruised foot). Temperatures topped 90 degrees during the 90-minute match.
The 4-2 loss puts Weston’s record at 3-3, dropping the Fury into a tie for third in the early season of the 11-team South Florida United Soccer Association Premier League. The loss easily could have been worse. Wellington missed an open net from four yards out in the 13th minute and hit the post with another shot in the 30th. Weston goalkeeper Michael Anderson saved the Wave’s follow-up shot. Anderson also stopped a penalty kick late in the match.
Forward Jonathan (J.T.) Thiel scored both Weston goals, the first of the match in the 31st minute, with his left foot. The centering pass came from outside midfielder Davide Bombonato, who came into the match in the very early when starter Eugenio Lascurain rolled an ankle, unable to return.
Wellington wasn’t behind for long, scoring goals in the 34th and 38th minutes to take the lead for good. Well into the second half, the Wave made it 3-1. The goal started when a Wellington midfielder won an air ball at midfield and headed it forward. A Wellington player beat the Weston back line on a breakaway and put the ball right on the far post, ricocheting it into the net.
Weston made it interesting in the 72nd minute when the Wave sweeper took Thiel down in the box after Thiel beat the fullback. Thiel converted the penalty kick to make it 3-2. The tension ended five minutes later when Wellington scored on a perfectly placed direct free kick from just outside the box, over the wall and into the left upper 90. Weston had the exact opportunity five minutes, but did not capitalize.
Coach Alvin James started Anderson in the nets, Andres Velez at central defense, Juan Lopez and Mario Figueroa at fullback, Leo Caldeira at stopper, Lascurain and Chris Bent at outside midfield, Iker Ibanez and Jaime Villarreal in the central midfield and Thiel and David Gordon at forward. Manuel Sotelo came off the bench to play in the midfield. Midfielder Jeremy Weber and forward Rodrigo Paredes were unavailable. Defender Jose Pablo Ruiz underwent knee surgery just before the season started.
Weston next is scheduled to play the sixth-place Parkland Predators Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. at Vista Park in Weston.
