By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
The winning continues for the Pace Vikings as they seek a playoff spot for the second straight year in District 32-5A soccer.
Pace (7-2, 21 points) maintained its second-place spot in district with a 3-1 victory at home Friday against fourth-place Donna High (4-5, 13 points).
The Vikings are trying to stay close behind 32-5A leader Porter (9-0, 27 points), which won 6-1 Friday at Edcouch-Elsa.
It was the fourth win in five games for the Vikings.
“This feels very good,” said Pace’s Hector Rojas, a senior midfielder. “We’re putting our hearts and a lot of desire into it. We’re going to continue playing that way.”
Pace broke out of a 1-1 deadlock at intermission with a pair of second-half tallies to send its fans home happy.
“Winning at home is always good.” Vikings coach Mario A. Zamora said. “It makes people respect our house, our home, our field. Getting three more points (with the win) keeps us in the (thick of the) playoff race.
“It’s just good for to win against Donna, which is a strong team from the Upper Valley,” he added. “It’s always feels pretty good to get a ‘W’ at home.”
The Vikings started the match controlling the momentum and firing numerous shots at the Redskins’ goal.
Pace went on top 1-0 during the 15th minute when a shot taken from the left side wasn’t secured by the Donna High goalkeeper and it went off his hands. The Vikings’ Juan Garza charged in the from the right side at just the right moment and sent the deflected ball into the net from point-blank range.
A handball call against the Vikings resulted in a penalty kick for the Redskins with 12 minutes left in the half. Alex Espinoza converted it to tie the score at 1.
“It was a tough game,” Donna High coach Mario “Lalo” Hernandez said. “We made two big mistakes, and that’s what really changed the game.”
Two mistakes by the Redskins during the second half allowed the Vikings to go ahead and win.
First, Pace’s Edgar Martinez took a long free kick from midfield during the 46th minute, and the ball came to the Donna High goalkeeper on a high arc and he failed to control it.
Pace’s Alberto Renteria was right there to nudge the loose ball in for the Vikings’ second goal and a 2-1 lead.
With just four minutes left to play, the ball was advanced and it bounced in front of the Redskins’ goal. The goalkeeper made a lunge to fall on it but couldn’t.
Pace’s Benlly Galvan gained control of it, held up for a moment and rolled a shot toward the open goal on a narrow angle from about five yards away on the right side. A Donna High defender rushed in and tried to prevent the ball from going in, but he was unsuccessful.
Galvan’s score sealed the 3-1 victory for the Vikings.