On Sunday, IEFC gets three past Estudiantes to advance to the UPSL national round 16.
Pre-game
It has been over two years since both teams have faced off competitively. In April 2022, Estudiates got a 1-0 win over the Eagles of IEFC. Now, both teams face off to see who advances further to the postseason, with IEFC representing the SoCal South division and Estudiantes representing SoCal North.
IEFC finished third in their division with a 7-0-4 record. They were on a six-game winning streak, defeating top sides Muerita Soccer Academy and San Diego International in the division playoffs. Meanwhile, Oxnard-based Estudiantes finished fourth with a 5-4-2 record in their division. They had a five-game form of L-T-W-W-W, including an upset in their previous match against defending UPSL national champions Chiriaco FC.
Game Recap
The match kicked off at Lake Forest Sports Park, and the game started with intensity from both sides. Both sides also had hard sprints, cutting their opponent’s defense as it was a tug of war within the first 10 minutes of the match. Both teams also didn’t have much midfield action because Estudiantes (in blue) and IEFC (in red) sliced through to get to the final 3rd in a rapid session.
This tug-of-war between the two was due to quick thinking and high soccer IQ with pass-and-run plays. However, IEFC was pressuring very aggressively at this point and continued the high press for the whole game. This plan caused more fouls on Estudiantes but also created more chances at goal. Estudiantes held their own at times, but IEFC pressed so hard that the boys in blue would suffer forced errors that turned into IEFC counterattacks.
The half mainly involved EST building up the play to the final third, and then IEFC forced the turnover to counterstrike. Defensively, IEFC had two lines deep just in front of the box and forced the turnover with aggressive pressure, often double-teaming. The forwards would receive a lob or through pass on the counter, and then the deep midfielders would run to support the attack.
The strategy pays off for the Inland Empire team. A forced turnover in the 43′ in the midfield sees a through pass on the right side to Misael Gonzales just outside the box. The keeper runs out to stop the threat, but Gonzales line drives it home. The half ends 1-0 to the boys in red.
The second half kicks off, and the game’s flow remains unchanged. IEFC retains more possession but hardly ever restarts, as most set-up plays are forward-thinking and have minimal errors. Estudiantes struggle defensively with this, as their defensive effort sees them stumble to keep up.
In the 64′, IEFC gets a steal at the Blues’ team’s half, which turns into a pass for Misael Gonzales outside the box on the left side. He takes an inside-footed shot by the half circle and bangs it to the right side of the net, making it 2-0 for the Eagles.
Yet neither team has changed its game plan. The students don’t give up and don’t seem like a lost cause. They had few opportunities to get past the final third, as again, IEFC bunkered down defensively solidly.
More hard work paid off for IEFC in ’84 as a bad switch from the students’ land in IEFC possession. He takes the ball on the left side to send a low cross, where Misael Gonzales taps it home in front of a slow-reacting defender. He gets his hat trick, and his teammates get the W for IEFC to advance to the UPSL national round of 16 playoffs. They travel to El Paso Rush ACM3 on 7/13.
Below are the highlights of the match, which my friend and aspiring video editor Logan did. Give him a follow.