Boys’ soccer (4-2-1) lost 2-1 in a league game against Northwood High on Jan. 7. The Bulldogs play next at an away game against Laguna Beach High today on Jan. 14.
Three minutes into the first half, the Bulldogs had difficulty gaining possession as the ball was primarily controlled by the Timberwolves. Soon after, midfielder and junior Elhadi Elhadi took a corner kick to set up the Bulldogs for a shot at goal, but it ultimately collided with the Timberwolves’ goalie.
“As a team, we played well, in the front and the back, but I feel like there were a bunch of improvements that we could apply to our mentality and physicality,” goalie and junior Karim Shehata said. “We made amazing through balls and amazing passes. We really tried our best.”
The Timberwolves edged closer to the Bulldogs’ goal during the first half and attempted a shot on goal; however, Shehata deflected it before the Timberwolves could score a point. The Bulldogs pushed through and began to communicate more, eventually winning a penalty kick due to a foul on the Timberwolves’ side.
Moments later, the Timberwolves recovered and almost scored twice, but Shehata cleanly caught both. Forward and junior Kesin Jayakumar gained a penalty and took an intense shot on goal assisted by Arafeh, scoring and tipping the score in the Bulldogs’ favor to 1-0.
“Our goalie, Karim, made a bunch of good saves, and I scored a goal and won a penalty, which were some of the highlights,” Jayakumar said. “We weren’t as physical or technical as Northwood and conceded after going one point up, but if we improve on that, we can be better for the next game.”
The Bulldogs had a difficult time defending against the aggressive play style of their opponent, which included many shots on goal. Most shots were deflected by Shehata’s fast reaction time and clean saves. However, the Timberwolves broke through the Bulldogs’ defensive line, scoring two goals during the second half. This took a hit on morale, but the Bulldogs created a stronger attacking and defensive front with support from Jayakumar and midfielder and junior Garan Gurusinghe. With less than a minute to spare, forward and junior Ali Elgadi attempted to score but barely missed the goal.
“Northwood was one of the more difficult teams we have played in terms of how they played, but we knew that going into the game,” head boys’ soccer coach Benjamin Jordon said. “It was one of the more well-organized teams we have played. We found ourselves trying to match them versus playing our style and game and making them match us, which was a big obstacle.”
