The Black and Gold Win In All 209 Clash
TURLOCK, CA – Sunday’s Liga Norcal Week 5 game saw 2nd place Academica hosting 5th place Modesto United. The Black and Gold came into this match off an impressive 6-0 dismantling of Elk Grove Everton while United traveled to Turlock off the back of a 3-3 tie against Davis Legacy. This was the first meeting ever between the two clubs with this being Modesto’s first season as a team.
AC started with Hernandez in goal followed by Churi, Tito, Canfield, and Maragoul in the back line. Sousa and Torralva started in midfield with Chongtoua in front of them Golbad, Cazares, and Carmona lead AC’s front line. The match kicked off with the Black and Gold hogging possession of the ball in United’s half. Carmona had the first real chance of the match when he let loose a shot of inside the 18 that flashed just wide. A few moments later United were awarded a freekick on top of the box and their effort curled only a yard wide of the upper corner. The midfield presence of Sousa and Torralva were granted acres of space in the midfield and were able to swing the ball from touchline to touchline. Carmona was again at the center of the action in the 23’ as he almost scored an Olimpico style goal off a freekick from the left side. The post denied his effort and in the ensuing scramble, Cazares flicked a low header just wide of the far post. The 1st half continued this way with the ball heavily in the United half and the last chance of the half came from a Golbad freekick that also flew wide.
The 2nd half started much like the first with AC applying the pressure in hopes of breaking the deadlock. Three minutes after the start, Arnaldo Gutierrez found space for a header off a corner that beat the keeper but was cleared off the goal line by the Modesto defense. The match settled for a bit as Canfield and Gutierrez held the defensive line for AC with Hernandez seeing little action behind them. It turned out to be a defender that broke the deadlock as Gutierrez once again found his head to a Carmona corner to open the scoring in the 72’. The goal gave confidence to the home side as the Black and Gold swarmed United for the rest of the half. The dominance provided further fruits after Plascencia was brought down in the box and Golbad dispatched the PK to double AC’s advantage and add to his goal tally for the year. The match was wrapped up as Carmona let loose a lethal shot that rebounded off the post and fell to Bobby Ceja who arrowed it into the far corner to make it 3-0.The result put AC in contention for first place with Modesto dropping down to 6th. The Black and Gold go on the road this weekend to Chula Vista to take on Chula Vista FC in its 2nd round qualifier for the US Open Cup before returning to league play against Hilmar’s Acoreano. Academica’s next home match is set for Oct. 29th at 7:30 pm.