A goal in the 2nd minute set the tempo for Irvine Zeta FC to defeat Temecula FC 3-1 in the “Win & You’re In” round of the Open Division Local qualifying tournament for the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
“We’re very happy that we got the qualification for the Open Cup. It was a tough game. We were lucky to score earlier,” said head coach Alexis Ubillus.
After starting with the ball, Temecula FC tried to regain possession but a missed pass to the defense led to an early goal to give Irvine Zeta FC the lead.
In the 2nd minute, the missed touch gave Irvine Zeta FC’s Cristian Fernandez Mejia the opportunity to gain possession and his shot was just outside of the goalies reach to give his team a 1-0 advantage.
Falling short that early on gave Temecula FC extra momentum to even out the score before the half ended.
However, Irvine Zeta FC responded to the increased pressure but had two yellow cards awarded to Ivan Torres and Joseph John Barry in the 34th and 35th minute.
The fouls and aggressive played continued until the end of the half. But no more goals were made and left Irvine Zeta FC still holding the lead.
As the second half commenced, the fight for possession continued but remained steady between both teams. Each made successful attempts for offensive plays but we’re struck down by each of the defensive lines.
“The second half, we did much better. We controlled the game, we scored the goals. Overall, it was a good game,” Ubillus said.
It wasn’t long for Irvine Zeta FC to find a break away and gain its second goal of the match. In the 58th minute, a cross from midfield to Ivan Torres gave him the chance to shoot to the far left goal post; where the ball managed to hit the post and bounced back into the net for a 2-0 advantage.
Though they were falling behind, Temecula FC didn’t lose its determination to get on the board. Several close opportunities in front of the goal were made but were either saved or played out of bound.
In the 77th minute, Irvine Zeta FC would again extend their lead to 3-0 when Daniel Moreno would complete the pass from Mejia.
In the final minutes of the match, a foul made in Irvine Zeta FC’s goalie box would award Temecula FC Braedon O’Neill a penalty kick in the 90+1 minute. O’Neill was able to provide a goal for his team and end the match with a 3-1 score.