Sporting Fontana commands visitors Desert Community Soccer Club 3-1 in the UPSL D1 regular season.
Pre-Game
This matchup marks the first meeting between the two clubs. Both teams were evenly matched in the SoCal East table, with DCSC in 4th place and Sporting in 5th.
The hosts, Sporting Fontana, were coming off a 2-game losing slump, a record of 3-1-2, and a GD of +1. Their top goal scorer is defender Benito Barragan with 3 in the season.
The visitors, DCSC, were coming with more confidence in the game with a 2-game winning streak, a record of 4-0-2, and a GD of +6. Their top goal scorer is forward Jonathan J. Luquin with 8 in the season.
Starting Lineups
Game Recap
On a chilly Sunday afternoon at the Ralph Lewis Sports Complex, in front of a humble crowd of 50 spectators, matchweek 7 was set to begin. The hosts, Sporting Fontana, wearing black, and the visitors, DCSC in white.
The start of the match was choppy as the referee called fouls on both sides for rather minor contact. It was also stumbling for the visitors as the keeper and defenders would lose the ball on simple pass backs that helped the black team get to advantageous positions.
The Desert team moving forward also didn’t have the best touches when connecting passes, but were not afraid of taking shots from uneasy positions. They played a mixed style of short passes and dump n chase long balls on the attack. They had more possession and good ideas on attack but failed to execute properly.
The home team were more defensive and played a counter attack style of play as they were notably more older than the white team. Neither the midfield nor the offense would pressure the white team till they reached their defensive half, and on forced turnovers, they would blast the ball forward on the wings to find a lone striker.
Sporting would strike first as a counterattack lead to a low cross from the left side, lands for Therence N. Alemnji (2nd of the season). He then pivots around a defender and blasts a low ball to the left and in. 1-0 for the local team.
DCSC would respond with one of their own with a throw-in that results in a sloppy cross in the box, Jonathan Luquin (9th in the season) receives and blasts a low ball in the net. The game would tie 1-1 going into the half.
The second half kicks off, and both teams didn’t adjust too much to their 1st half game plans. Halfway through the 2nd half, however, Sporting Fontana were building up the play and having more possession. They now slip up on their lob passes, which led to turnovers where they had to chase down white attacks. DCSC would continue to intercept these passes to move to better scoring positions.
Then in the 72’ Sporting gets a goal after a scramble in the box, Ruben Valencia (1st of the season) slots the recovered ball hard to the left to take the lead. 2-1 for the black team.
Afterward, neither team would play the ball wide as both played the ball up the gut and challenged the traffic in the midfield. Eventually, 10 minutes later in the 82’ Fontana would get a 3rd goal. From outside the box, Eder Guerrero (1st of the season) shoots a low, fast ball that hits the bottom left post and in. The hosts lead 3-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining.
The visitors, however, didn’t get phased by Sporting’s insurance goal as shortly after they would get a golden opportunity to get one back with a pass that lands for #3 on the right side of the box, but his shot goes wide. The visiting fans groan in disappointment. The game would end with the hosts winning 3-1.
Post-Game
Sporting Fontana would get their 4th win of the season, moving up to 3rd in the SoCal East standings with 13 points. They have 2 games remaining in the season to get a playspot spot. Their next game is at home on the 9th against 7th-place AYSD D1 Academy East.
For DCSC, they suffer their 3rd loss in the season, falling to 4th in the standings with 12 points. They have 1 game remaining in the regular season, where they host 5th-place Montclair Academy on the 15th.