El Farolito Roars Back After Second Half Equalizer to Beat Davis
El Farolito came roaring back after a second half equalizer to top visiting FC Davis by a score of 3-1 on Saturday afternoon.
The home side dominated possession for most of the match, while Davis was most dangerous on the counterattack.
The match marked the return of Honduran striker Dembor Benson to Farolito’s lineup. He scored 4 goals in 6 matches for the San Francisco club last season.
Benson picked up where he left off in the 22nd minute, scoring the only goal of the first half on a quick blast that sailed in just under the crossbar.
Farolito had a couple of scoring chances early in the second half, but both shots went wide.
The momentum shifted in the 73rd minute when Davis was awarded a penalty after a rough tackle in the box by a Farolito defender. Adewumi Aladetimi converted the subsequent spot kick.
But Farolito responded 4 minutes later, earning a free kick just outside the penalty arc. The free kick was blocked by Davis’s wall, but Farolito grabbed the rebound and found Aramis Haywood open on the left side for the strong finish.
The host side put the match out of reach in the 89th minute, when a series of short passes set up Pedro Ferreira for the finish.
Sacramento Rallies to Beat Sonoma
Host Sacramento Gold FC overcame a second half deficit to defeat a resilient Sonoma County Sol FC side and retain the top spot in the conference standings.
The visitors grabbed the lead in the 37th minute on a goal by Maurilio Lopez, but the hosts equalized in stoppage time on a goal by Justin Bethke.
Sonoma grabbed the lead again on Sebastian Herrera’s strike 3 minutes into the second half.
But Manolo Pina equalized in the 60th minute and Dalton Pando delivered the game winner 12 minutes later.
Few Goals in Match Between Crosstown Rivals
The second leg of the Town Derby ended in a 1-1 draw between the Oakland Stompers and host Oakland SC at Oakland Technical High School.
The hosts scored their goal in the 12th minute off of a throw-in from near midfield. An Oakland forward redirected the ball with his chest into the path of Gabriel Borges, who was making a run down the middle of the field. Borges slid a low shot past the diving goalkeeper.
The Stompers scored their goal just before halftime. A Stompers attacker made his run along the left side, drawing two defenders. His cross found a wide open Mario Torres in front of the empty net; an Oakland SC defender crashed into Torres as he slotted the ball into the net.
Neither club was able to score in the second half.
Contra Costa Overcomes Academica
Contra Costa FC continued its midseason resurgence with a 2-1 win at Academica SC.
They have earned 7 points in their previous 4 matches after struggling with a crowded early season schedule that included an appearance in the U.S. Open Cup.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 29th minute on a cross from near the left touchline. A Contra Costa attacker made a dummy run into the box, leaving Marco Carbajal open at the far post to blast the ball past Academica goalkeeper David Hernandez.
Addison Escobar doubled the lead in the 64th minute, stealing the ball just over midfield and playing a give-and-go with a teammate. Escobar outran two defenders to win the through ball that left him alone with Hernandez for the easy finish.
Academica didn’t get on the scoreboard until the 88th minute, when a cross found Ramiro Ceja at the far post and Ceja’s shot trickled past Contra Costa goalkeeper Roberto Llamas.
Next Week
Next week’s highlights include two more derbies, with Napa Valley 1839 FC returning after a one-week layoff to host Sonoma in the Wine Country Derby, while Davis hosts Academica in the Cowtown Classic. Both Oakland clubs face stiff competition, with the Stompers traveling to first place Sacramento and Oakland SC crossing the bay to take on second place El Farolito.
