By MARK MOLINA, STAFF WRITER
Neither the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers nor the Pace Vikings needed any motivation in the third meeting of the season between the two, but with a spot at the Region IV-5A tournament on the line, the match featured plenty of emotion.
With opportunities to score few and far between in a physical game, a goal from Brownsville Veterans’ Guillermo Laguna on penalty kick in the 35th minute proved to be the difference as the Chargers ousted the Vikings 1-0 in Tuesday night’s Class 5A regional quarterfinal match at Sams Memorial Stadium in Brownsville.
After being knocked to the ground after a battle for the ball near the Pace goal, Laguna set up for the kick and put the ball in the left side of the net past the hand of Pace goalie Ervin Rocha.
“I knew I had to put it in because said before the game that any shot and opportunity we had, we had to put it in,” Laguna said after the game. “We weren’t going to know when we were going to have another opportunity like that one, so any chance we had, we had to put it in.
“It was an important game and we had already beaten Pace twice, but we know every single game is different — that’s the way the sport is.”
With the win, Brownsville Veterans now will head to Cabaniss Field in Corpus Christi to compete in its first ever regional tournament in the program’s history.
Charger head soccer coach Alberto Vasquez said the payoff saw his team through Tuesday’s physical match.
“We were fighting for that ticket to regionals,” he said. “(Pace) has a history of going to regionals and doing a great job, but we have never been this far. Our boys really wanted this and they knew exactly what was on the table and they came out here and fought their hearts off.”
Pace The Vikings had their chances for points in the first half, but thanks to an aggressive Charger back line, they came up empty.
Head coach Mario Zamora expected that type of game, but it just wasn’t their night.
“We played a good first half, but it was going to be a tough game between two Brownsville schools,” Zamora said. “I’m proud of my boys and we’ve had our ups and downs. It was a tough game, but now we wait for next season, where we hope to advance to regionals and hopefully state.
“But congratulations to coach Vasquez and his team — they were great winners.”
The tightly contested match continued in the second half, but with more physicality and banter from both sides.
The banter would cost the Chargers early on as Francisco Moreno picked up a red card less than 10 minutes into the second half after arguing with an official, causing his ejection.
Officials also brought out a few yellow cards in the second half, but the red card will hurt the Chargers as Moreno now will be lost for the regional semifinal.
But Vasquez is confident his team will be prepared.
“We always rotate players in and out, so we always have kids who can’t wait to step in and fill his shoes,” he said. “(Moreno) is great player, but I’m sure the other guys will do the job and take care of everything.”
The Chargers draw either Foster or Austin High School in Friday’s regional semifinal matchup, which is set to start at noon.