On May 22nd, San Pablo FC beat host San Leandro United 1-0 on a penalty kick in the 69th minute, after a shot deflected off of a San Leandro defender’s arm. San Leandro had the bulk of the chances throughout the match, with San Pablo mostly relying on the counterattack. San Leandro’s best chance came in the 54th minute when its striker was taken down on a hard foul from behind, just outside the penalty area. The San Pablo defender was yellow-carded, and San Leandro’s subsequent free-kick curved around the wall but caromed off the post.
The win gives San Pablo 7 points in their first 3 matches, while San Leandro remains on 2 points after their 4th match of the season.
There was a shakeup at the top of the standings after Richmond Sol FC’s 1-1 draw with Real San Jose. The Oakland Stompers took over the top spot with a 7-1 road win over American Canyon. Miwoned Siraj had two goals and an assist for the Stompers, as well as earning a penalty kick. Vallejo Omega FC jumped into second place with a 10-2 win over Dahlak FC.
In other matches the same weekend, Atletico East Bay beat Stockton TLJ 3-1 in Berkeley and Salinas Soccer Academy beat NorCal Rush 3-0.
(Roundup weekend of May 29 – 31st)
The Oakland Stompers hung on to first place in the NSL Pacific standings with a 4-3 victory over Stockton TLJ at Raimondi Park in Oakland. The Stompers opened the scoring in the first minute when Ahmad Hatifie sent a ball into the box that P.J. Garcia trapped with his chest and redirected into the net. The referee originally called him offside, then changed his mind after consulting with the linesperson.
The match see-sawed back and forth for the rest of the half. Stockton equalized in the 10th minute on a penalty kick. In the 28th minute, Cesar Rocha made a run up the middle of the field and fed Hatifie at the left edge of the box; the goalkeeper rushed out to challenge him, but Hatifie blasted it into the net. Stockton equalized 11 minutes later, on another penalty kick. The Stompers earned their own penalty kick in the 39th minute and Sohrob Rashid converted. Stockton equalized again four minutes later.
There were fewer scoring chances in the second half, as both clubs searched for the game-winner. Substitute Gustavo Tavera-Rico delivered the decisive blow for the Stompers the 72nd minute, as he gathered in the feed from Rocha at the left edge of the box, took a couple of dribbles, and slammed it home at the near post.
In other matches:
• Second place Vallejo Omega remained one point behind the Stompers with a 3-1 victory over San Leandro United.
• Berkeley-based Atletico East Bay moved into third place in the table with 3-0 win over Real San Jose.
• The Richmond derby between Richmond SOL FC and San Pablo FC ended in a 2-2 draw.
• Previously winless American Canyon Rising earned its first points of the season with a 2-1 victory over NorCal Rush.
• In the second half of the Raimondi Park doubleheader, Salinas Soccer Academy beat winless Dahlak FC 4-2.
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