By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Missed penalty kicks have a way of coming back to haunt a soccer team.
The Porter Cowboys experienced such a turn of events Friday during their District 32-5A match at Brownsville Veterans Memorial.
Trailing by one goal midway through the second half, the Cowboys had a PK go off the post and bounce into the hands of the goalkeeper. A goal would have tied the score at 2.
As a result, Brownsville Veterans (4-1 district, 12 points) wound up winning 3-1 to stay close behind 32-5A leader Valley View (5-0, 15 points) in the standings.
The win also felt pretty good because the Chargers bounced back from Tuesday’s 3-0 setback against Valley View.
“It was a great game between two very good teams,” Chargers coach Alberto Vasquez said. “Both teams left everything on the field. It was just a great game.”
Porter (2-3, seven points) remains in the playoff hunt.
“Well, I was very surprised by some of our backups,” Porter coach Jose Espitia said. “We have had three starters sick with viruses and our two forwards are injured. Two of our defenders and two of our wingers had never started and did so today.
“I was very impressed (with them),” Espitia added. “It was not a very easy match, and we stayed in it most of the time. We had the tie (available to us) and missed that PK, which in result killed our morale.
“I am very proud of our boys because they kept hustling regardless of the score.”
The Chargers went up 1-0 during the early minutes of the match on a medium-range goal by Albert Maradiaga. Brandon Montes soon tallied for Porter to even the score at 1 by halftime.
Maradiaga scored a second goal 11 minutes into the second half to give the Chargers a 2-1 advantage. The score could have been deadlocked at 2 had the Cowboys converted their PK try.
The Chargers’ Jose Muniz found the net three minutes after the missed PK by Porter, and Brownsville Veterans came away with the 3-1 win.
In the nightcap of Friday’s 32-5A doubleheader at Brownsville Veterans, the Porter girls retained sole possession of the district lead by holding off the previously second-place Lady Chargers 2-1.
The Cowgirls improved to 5-0 with 15 points, and the Lady Chargers are now 4-1 with 10 points.
With Friday’s 3-0 win over Mercedes, the Pace girls move into second place in 32-5A with a 4-1 record and 13 points.
Denisse Romero scored both of the Cowgirls’ goals Friday, one during each half, as Porter built a 2-0 advantage.
“I’m really proud of the girls,” Cowgirls coach Abraham Gracia said. “There are always things to improve on, but I’m happy with the way we’re playing right now. They played a great game tonight.”