Boys soccer loses rivalry game at Mountain View
Yesterday, the Los Altos High School varsity boys soccer team lost 0–2 against their rivals Mountain View High School. Before the game, the team stood at seven wins, zero losses and two ties, putting them at the top of the league.
“It’s our first loss of the season, and hopefully our last,” Head Coach Roberto Magellan said. “It wasn’t our day today. We could have had some more punch from the start.”
The first half started with possession going back and forth between both teams, with some scoring opportunities for both sides. But after a struggle for the ball following a Mountain View free kick ended with the Spartans scoring 15 minutes in, the Eagles appeared to be on their back foot for the rest of the half.
“The boys were saying at halftime that it did look like Mountain View wanted it more,” Magellan said. “Psychologically, it’s easier to go all-out against the team that’s in first place, besides it being the Mountain View–Los Altos game, which is always a clash.”
The second half started similarly to the first, with the initiative shifting between the two rivals. The Eagles seemingly had a chance to even the score when a breakaway led to a possible penalty, but because the game was stopped due to an earlier Mountain View non-foul injury — that hadn’t been called until the possible penalty — Los Altos wasn’t able to pursue the potential penalty point. While the Eagles kept on the pressure, even after Mountain View scored their second goal, they were unable to get the ball into the Mountain View net.
“We had good midfield play with possession,” Magellan said. “Mountain View was all over us, whenever we received a pass they were there, but we were still able to connect the passes. I do think we could have done more of that, but it is what it is.”
The game ended the team’s almost two-month undefeated streak, during which they won a tournament and only tied twice. The team’s next match is at home against Homestead tomorrow.
