Capuchino happy with tie

"We played a great game today," said Capuchino coach Rod Kovacevic. "Going against a team we had to play well against, [we] played great. We were at least equal to them."

The team couldn't have been more different. Sequoia (2-0-1 Bay Division, 3-1-2 overall) likes to build up its offense through the midfield and uses a lot of individual talent on the ball to take defenders off the dribble. Capuchino (1-1-1, 6-2-1) used a more direct approach. Just about every offensive push was a long through ball to target forward Nick Cukar, with the hopes that Cukar could beat the defense to the ball, using his speed, before beating the goalkeeper.

Both styles factored into the goals in what was mostly a defensive battle.

"It was a good game. As far as I know, they had a good team," said Sequoia coach Juan Rosales. "I'm not happy (with result) at all. We had our chances. It was a close game."

The defenses both did a good job of limiting the opposing offense. Cukar was bracketed by two defenders most of the game, and when Cukar managed to get past them, sweeper Marcos Cisneros was there to clear the ball away.

The Capuchino defense, anchored by stopper Gustavo Lopez and sweeper Philip Zavala, also prevented the Sequoia playmakers from causing much damage.

"My boys didn't let them set up their passes," Kovacevic said. "For the most, we limited their dribbling."

It was one defensive breakdown by each team that led to the goals just before halftime. Sequoia got on the scoreboard first when Jose Garcia got the ball near the Capuchino endline and made a parallel run toward the goal. He appeared to be chopped down in the box just as he let a pass go, but no penalty was called. After the ball bounced around in the box, it was weakly cleared by the Mustangs' defense. The ball came back in and a shot was knocked down by Capuchino goalkeeper Karl Thoreson. Garcia was there for the rebound and put it away in the 34th minute of the first half for a 1-0 lead.

"It's part of my practice to just keep working hard," Rosales said.

Less than a minute later, Cukar tied it for Capuchino, just before the halftime whistle. Marlin Torres stole the ball near midfield and made a run toward the Sequoia goal. He sent a left-to-right, cross-field cross to Cukar just inside the penalty box. Cukar took a touch to settle the ball before cracking a shot high into the back of the net.

In the second half, Capuchino had the better chances but could not find the game winner. Cukar had an excellent chance to put the Mustangs up when he split two defenders and ran onto a long pass into the Sequoia penalty box. With just the goalkeeper to beat, Cukar hit it right to Luis Ayala, who made the easy save.

The Cherokees missed on their only real threat late in the game off a free kick 30 yards from goal. Garcia sent a short pass to Cisneros, whose shot crashed off the post. George Mendoza was there for the rebound but his shot was deflected out by a Capuchino defender before it got to the goal. The ball was finally cleared out.

"My boys deserved the win today," Kovacevic said. "We played better today than against Burlingame (a 3-0 loss Dec. 7). If we can play with Sequoia, we can play with anybody."

Aragon 3, Half Moon Bay 1

Dons' forward Jeff Barrera returned from a four-game suspension and sparked Aragon to a win over the Cougars.

Barrera assisted Charlie Goss on the Dons' first goal before scoring twice in the second. For the Cougars, who had aspirations of an Ocean Division title, the loss was their fourth in a row.