Wildcats attack well in 1-1 tie vs. Glenbard East

By Gary Larsen

When West Chicago is playing quick balls in tight spaces, making runs, and creating dangerous scoring chances, you get the sense that it’s only a matter of time before the Wildcats will score.

That sense went unfulfilled for the Wildcats in a 1-1 DVC tie with Glenbard East, as WEGO pressured well in the second half but came away empty-handed.

“How many missed kicks did we send over the top of the goal?” asked WEGO coach Steve Brugmann. “It’s been the story of the season. We’re getting the ball in the right place, and we’re putting it in front of the goal.”

“I missed three opportunities and we all had opportunities really close in,” WEGO’s Jared Perez said. “And (East goalkeeper Andres Guerrero) was good tonight.”

Playing in their second 100-minute overtime match in two days, West Chicago (2-2-3, 0-0-1 in DVC play) struck first on an Esteban Fernandez goal in the game’s first half. Hernandez sent a shot past a charging Guerrero in the 33rd minute.

The lead held to halftime, and for the first 10 minutes of the second half the Wildcats played exceptional attacking soccer on the Rams’ end.

“We were a one-man team in the beginning but now it’s pass-pass-pass-shoot, pass-pass-pass-shoot, and we’re getting better touches in front,” Perez said.

Perez reached the end line on the right side and blasted a ball towards the near post, where Guerrero was on the spot to make the play in the 47th minute. A minute later, Martin Orozco drove up the left side on the dribble, cut diagonally and fired just high from 20 yards out.

The Wildcats continued to pressure. Jenaro Terrazas worked a ball up the left side and got off a cross in the 50th minute, centering to the goalmouth where Guerrero turned away a Perez head shot.

After the Rams knotted the score, the Wildcats continued to fight in the attack. Diego Munoz tried to tuck a ball inside the near post from 14 yards out, but Guerrero was on the spot yet again.

 The Rams tied the game in the 57th minute on a Sam Dennis head shot, set up by an Oscar Barraza free kick.

The teams traded punches to the end of regulation, with WEGO invading Rams’ territory but failing to finish on a goal.
 
Fernandez and Guerrero converged on a ball in the goalmouth but Fernandez’s volleyed shot flew high in the 77th minute, and Giovanni Gomez fired from 14 yards with Guerrero gathering it at the post.

In the game’s 98th minute, Cesar Gonzalez took a shot with Guerrero charging him and sent a shot just high, and Christopher Quintana did the same with a free kick attempt on the game’s final chance on net.

One night after his squad won in a shootout over Oswego, Brugmann was happy to see the progress his side is now showing.

“I’m very happy with some of the combination play that we have, and we’re defending much better than we did in the beginning of the season,” Brugmann said.

WEGO keeper Adrian Porcayo was solid throughout, and Brugmann recently moved captain Christopher Quintana from the back line into the attack. Danny Hernandez is now sweeping, Gilberto Villa is playing defensive stopper, with Orozco and Tony Maldonado on the outsides.

Orozco made a good handful of dangerous overlapping runs on Friday, much to his coach’s liking. “He’s dangerous. He used to be a central midfielder so he knows what he’s doing, and it’s nice to have that offense back there,” Brugmann said.

“I also have to give a shout out to Cesar Gonzalez. He came in and did absolutely what he needed to do, in taking on (Quintana’s) attacking role, and it was nice to see that.”