OAKLEY,CALIF.--- Playing as a freshman on varsity is as rare as a blue moon. But scoring the game winning goal is on a whole other level, and that is exactly what Alberto Padilla did for Freedom.
Padilla scored in the second half with 33 minutes left in game to lift Freedom to the 1-0 win over Pinole Valley in both team’s season openers.
The game-winning play occurred when defender Leo Cabrera played the ball down the line, inched closer into the box where he had a left foot pass, and found Padilla for the game-winning touch.
Adapting from club to varsity soccer is like learning a whole new language, and Padilla couldn't agree more.
“There is a lot of pressure, and the speed of the game was a lot faster,” Padilla said. “I'm looking forward to scoring more goals and getting more wins with the team.”
A game with just one lone goal could have instantly changed if there weren't as many missed shots.
With 10 minutes left in the match, Guillermo Fierros had a one-on-one encounter with the Pinole Valley goalkeeper, but his shot went wide right.
Fierros also connected with his teammate Jorge Rondan, as Fierros laid an impressive heel pass to Rondan, but they were not able to capitalize for Freedom.
“I’d be really concerned if we weren't able to create opportunities,” said Freedom head coach Sal Acevedo. “The things we worked on this week were not in the attacking third, so they weren't going to get any pressure from me.”
Pinole Valley’s best scoring opportunity came upon a free kick but Freedom second half goalkeeper Ryan Boyle denied them from tying it up.
In their first official match of the season, Pinole Valley coach Israel Enriquez said this early season loss does not reflect on what they're working to accomplish.
“Little by little we are going to make process,” Enriquez said. “We always love playing this school because we always get to learn something from them.”
According to Acevedo, Padilla’s goal felt like déjà vu, because his brother and teammate Martin Padilla did the same thing in his varsity debut.
Martin went into a frenzy when he scored, yelling at the top of his lungs with pride, “Hell yeah that's my brother!”
“I love playing with my brother,” Padilla said. “When we were kids we would play on the same team and he was the youngest one but one of the best ones at the same time, and today reminded me of when we were kids.”
Freedom will move on to play Amador Valley in the Tri Valley Challenge on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. Pinole Valley will travel to face El Cerrito on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m.
