Vaqueros can’t finish their chances in 1-0 setback

Ricardo Martinez scored an early goal on Friday night and L.A. Mission made it stand up for a 1-0 WSC North men's soccer win over SBCC at La Playa Stadium.

The Vaqueros (7-3-2, 2-2-0) dominated possession, outshooting the Eagles 12-2 in the second half and 17-4 for the game. Mission improved to 6-7-2 and 2-1-1.

Martinez took a pass from Emilio Vallin and fired a shot into the top shelf from 12 yards out at the 13:42 mark.

Eagles' goalie Miguel Granados was efficient, making seven of his 10 saves in the second half. He dove to his left to deny Kevin Kwizera's hard-struck header in the 60th minute. Three minutes later, Ameyawu Muntari banged one off the right post.

In the 87th minute, Sadiki Johnson and Joel Ramirez Vega got off two shots in 10 seconds and Granados saved them both.

"We didn't perform until the last 30 minutes and that was very disappointing," said SBCC coach John Sisterson. "We just couldn't find the back of the net. You can't expect to just turn it on for 30 minutes and win the game.

"You have to create your own chances, be brave and go forward and do what we've been doing in practice. This was a game we should have won but it wasn't to be."

The Vaqueros will host second-place Santa Monica (10-2-3, 2-1-1) on Tuesday at 7 p.m.