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Dynamo dominates in National Cup opener

April 23, 2006|By TOM RONCO, Special to this newspaper

LANCASTER — The Dynamo El Centro Select under-17 soccer team won its opening National Cup pool match, defeating Nexaca USA of San Jacinto 5-1 at the National Soccer Center on Saturday.

The game was played in gale-force winds, which was OK with Dynamo.

“Our style of play certainly is better suited to playing in the wind. We generally try to move the ball on the ground,” said Dynamo manager Steve Walker. “Great result, but it took awhile for us to get started and get the match secured.”

Dynamo’s newest additions — Holtville’s Armando Reyes and Alberto Hernandez — each scored to help Dynamo jump to a 2-1 halftime lead.

Valentin Gonzalez assisted on both goals, sending a cross to Reyes that he volleyed into the goal in the 15th minute, then sliding a pass to Hernandez in the 29th minute for a 2-0 lead. Hernandez had just entered the match for Isaac Acuna.

A defensive miscue in the 35th minute allowed Nexaca to close the gap to 2-1 but Dynamo re-took a two-goal lead early in the second half.

“In the first half we were inviting them to thump us, (by) playing the ball into their feet,” said Dynamo coach Jim Graham. “But it all worked out.”

Reyes took the ball down the left side, beat a defender and drew out the goalkeeper. Then he passed to Edson Oceguerra, who scored.

“We put Edson into the match to see how his injured leg would hold up,” said Graham. “We had told him no, but then we decided to give him some time and he made a nice shot going around the keeper. It was the killer goal.”

Up 3-1, Dynamo fullback Jose Villarreal took a ball into the offensive zone and passed to Acuna, who scored in the 80th minute.

Dynamo’s final goal came on a pass from Hernandez to Gonzalez with five minutes left in the match.

“Valentin got one of the goals up here last year when we won State Cup and it was fitting that he should cap the scoring,” said Graham. “He’s the target man, holds the ball and takes a lot of hits so other people get the glory.”

Dynamo completes pool play with a match against FC Barcelona of Glendale at 2 p.m. Saturday here.

The top two finishers in each pool will advance to the round of 32 in the National Cup.

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