Earthquakes Academy player Jorge Lara experienced a dream finish.
The center back ripped off his jersey in celebration after his goal in the 90th minute gave the Under-18 team a thrilling 4-3 win over the De Anza Force on Saturday at the Earthquakes Training Facility.
“That was my first goal with the Academy,” Lara said. “Against our rival -- It was exciting. I dedicated it to my dad (Jorge). He passed away.”
Overall, the Quakes Academy teams took two of three in the much-anticipated De Anza Derby. The U16s hit the post late in a tough 2-0 loss to the talented Force in the second game of the doubleheader, but the unbeaten U14s beat De Anza 6-0 at John Mise Park.
Lara’s stunning strike came three minutes after Quakes newcomer Suliman Khorami scored the tying goal on a dramatic header in the back-and-forth battle. How about that: The smallest guy in the penalty box notches a brave header goal in his debut.
“He’s a new guy,” Academy coach Stephen Wondolowski said Khorami. “He’s actually been an Afghan citizen, so we’ve been waiting for his card to go through, and we picked it up (Saturday) morning. So, we threw him in the game, he scored a goal, and made it all worth it.”
Finding a way, the U18s (7-0-1) remained unbeaten by overcoming deficits of 2-1 and 3-2. The Quakes’ four goals all came off set pieces.
Philip Hausen scored to make it 1-0 in the 10th minute with a tap-in after a Rory Birse header off the goalkeeper. After De Anza got back-to-back goals from Luis Nunez and Andres Jimenez to lead 2-1 at halftime, the Quakes’ fitness and drive came into play late. Birse scored the equalizer into the corner in the 54th minute, but the Force re-took the lead on a Brandon Gilligham goal in the 66thminute, capping a sequence of heavy pressure on the Quakes.
Wondolowski took the results in proper perspective, knowing that important lessons can be learned in losses as well as sweet victories.
U16 right back Abraham Rosales created steady pressure in the loss, and attacker Ivan Valencia put on another dazzling display of pace and skill, doing pretty much everything but score.
“He’s a special player,” Wondolowski said of Valencia. “You can just tell he’s a very, very special player. He’s trying to round out his game right now, being a facilitator, not just dribble and score. Today, was one of those days. That’s what I told him. An old striker’s saying: Sometimes everything’s going into the net; sometimes nothing’s going in.”
The U16s fell to 5-2-1 in the Northwest Division but remain comfortably in second place.
