The Weston Fury Soccer Club 87/88 Premier boys’ team split its opening matches in the South Florida United Youth Soccer Association late season championships last week. Weston lost to the Miami Lakes Wave 4-1 at Royal Oaks Park in Miami Lakes on March 15 and defeated the Miami Strike Force 9-4 at Vista Park in Weston on March 18.
Eight Fury players scored or assisted goals, led by three assists and a goal from center midfielder Josep Sagarra, all in the Strike Force match. Three players recorded a pair of goals and an assist -- Leo Caldeira, who scored the only goal against Miami Lakes; Rodrigo Paredes; and Jaime Saenz. Others contributing to the scoring were Luis Alva, two goals; Iker Ibanez, a goal and an assist; and Juan Lopez and Matt Mobley, playing in his first match since an injury on Dec. 7, each adding an assist.
Against Miami Lakes, head coach Alvin James and assistant Rene Osorio started Caldeira and Paredes up top; Chris Bent and Mario Figueroa at the midfield wings, captain Eugenio Lascurain and Alva in the central midfield, Ibanez at stopper, Andres Velez at sweeper, Juan Pablo Ruiz and Lopez at fullback and Michael Anderson at goalkeeper. Also playing for Weston were Jaime Villarreal and Mobley in the midfield.
The Wave got off 11 shots to the Fury’s eight. While Miami Lakes had only one more shot on goal than Weston – six to five – the Wave made far better use of its chances, scoring in the ninth minute and again in the 11th, on a penalty kick after a foul in the box. Miami Lakes scored two more times in the second half before Caldeira scored in the final minute on an assist from Ibanez.
Each team lost a player in the match, disqualified with double caution cards. Miami Lakes played down a man for nine minutes, from the 50th to the 59th. Each goalkeeper put up a pair of saves.
Weston proved to be far more efficient against Miami Strike Force, scoring nine times on 14 of 19 shots on goal. Miami scored four goals on 10 of 12 shots on goal.
With Coach James unavailable, assistant coach Osorio started Jaime Saenz and Figueroa at forward, Sagarra and Alva in central midfield, Lascurain and Ibanez at outside midfield, Caldeira at stopper, Velez at sweeper, Lopez and Mobley at fullback and Anderson in goal. Also playing for Weston were Jeremy Weber and Chris Bent in the midfield and Paredes at forward.
Weston struck first, in the 22nd minute when Saenz took a long throw-in from Mobley, beat his defender and scored at the far post. Miami tied it nine minutes later, but the Fury took at 3-1 lead into the half on goals by Alva and Paredes, both assisted by Sagarra.
Weston had a 5-1 lead before Miami scored its second goal in the 65th minute. Alva chipped in number four, again assisted by Sagarra, and Saenz bicycle kicked the fifth goal just inside the near post, on a combination of quick passes in the offensive third from Mobley to Caldeira to Saenz. Paredes used the chip shot to beat the keeper and give the Fury at 6-2 lead; Ibanez assisted.
The most amazing goal of the match, making the score 7-2, came off the foot of Sagarra, after a centering pass from Lopez. With his back to the goal just outside the six, Sagarra bounced the ball off his foot twice then blasted a bicycle kick over his head and into the left upper 90. The keeper never moved.
Weston and Miami traded goals twice in the remaining 10 minutes and the match ended 9-4. The Fury’s Ibanez converted a penalty kick, after Saenz turned the corner on the right fullback and was tackled in the box. Caldeira scored the final goal, assisted by Paredes.
Each goalkeeper saved three opponents’ shots.
