IEFC draws against Santa Ana Winds FC 4-4 in UPSL SoCal North play.

Pre-Game

This matchup will be the eighth encounter between these two historic UPSL clubs, as both were among the league’s pioneer members around 10 years ago. The last time the two clubs met, Santa Ana Winds defeated IEFC 6-0 last October.

In total, IEFC has a 3-0-4 record against the OC team. The hosts, the Eagles, are currently on a two-game losing streak and have a season record of 4-0-6. That record has them in 10th place in the SoCal North standings, and their top goal scorer is former USL star Aidan Apodaca, with 7 goals.

The visitors are in a W-L-W-L-W form and have a season record of 3-2-5 record. They are in 9th place with a -5 GD and 11 pts in the season.  

Game Recap

On a cloudy Sunday afternoon at Arroyo Valley High School in San Bernardino, IEFC in dark grey hosts Santa Ana in orange kits. Within the first minute, the visitors strike first after a pass into the box, which the defenders assumed was offside, slots it to the right to take the early lead.

The Eagles’ response to the goal was slow, but they tried to start up their game plan like a rusty lawnmower, while Santa Ana was more aggressive and quick with the ball. IEFC then gets competitive and physical to win the ball as well as shut down the orange team’s ideas.

Likewise, Santa Ana was good in the stand tackles and completed their passes to retain possession calmly. They played counter to IEFC’s game plan of building from the back, having a defender or midfielder send a diagonal ball to the winger, but they hardly connected.

Another part of IEFC’s plan was to push the defensive wingers up to add numbers on the attack, but they failed to come back to defend, and a couple of misconnected passes resulted in turnovers. Santa Ana would defensively pressure the home team when they reached their final third to disrupt the home team’s ideas further.

In the 34′, the Winds would strike again after a physical and questionable disposition; the Winds player gets 1v1 with the keeper and slices to the right post and in. 2-0 for the orange boys. The hosts were in disbelief at the referee for not calling a foul.

Just 4 minutes later, IEFC responds with a goal from a failed defender’s pass back to the goalkeeper. It passes him, and David Martinez Nsue Edidang taps to an open net. The score is now 2-1. The ref would blow to end the half.

The second half would kick-off, and in the 51′, an IEFC player performs a great individual effort to beat several defenders in the box, loses the ball, but an IEFC player is there to pick up the loose ball and sends it home in front of the keeper to tie the game.

Then, in just 3 minutes, the boys in grey strike yet again with a goal after an IEFC player drew 3 defenders in the box, lays off to Luis Virrueta alone near the half circle, and blasts it home. They get the comeback within an hour.

Santa Ana was staying on defense, just as in the first half, but the calm approach had now become their weakness, as they were not winning as many interceptions or tackles to force turnovers. As for IEFC, they continued their first-half game plan with much more intensity, and passes are now connecting.

In the 62′, the boys in grey get a penalty after Giovanni S Balmelli gets fouled in the box from an upper-body tackle. He takes the shot from the spot going right, but the keeper blocks it.

However, the line judge indicates that the keeper is off his line, and they go for a redo against the Santa Ana Winds will. Giovanni shoots to the left and gets the insurance goal for IEFC.

The visitors were having a tough time leaving gaps when trying to defend their final third, while IEFC had more possession in the Wind’s own half.

Then, in the 75′, the Winds do a dump and chase play on the left where the winger crosses to a teammate in the box; he receives the defender deflecting the ball, does a spin, and scissor kicks the ball to the right, beating the keeper to make the scoreline 4-3.  

Then, with 5 minutes left in the game, the boys in orange send a cross from the right side, clear away from the middle man, but land for the last man by the left post. He breaks a defender and blasts the ball at the keeper near the post to tie the score 4-4.

The referee blows the final whistle to end the exciting conclusion of this matchup.

Post Game

With that result, both IEFC and SA Winds would not make the playoffs. 7th place and above is the cutoff for the postseason, and with one game remaining in the season, it would not be enough for both teams to punch a ticket.

7th	Rose City	16pts
8th	AMSG FC	13pts
9th	Santa Ana Winds	12pts
10th	IEFC	10pts

Both teams remain in the same positions as before the game. IEFC will end their season on the road against Ocelot Academy on June 8th, while Santa Ana will host SoCal United on the 7th.

Click here to see the full replay of the game, courtesy of Futboliando.