The Buchholz Bobcats boys soccer team took on the PK Yonge Blue Wave in their highly anticipated season opener Tuesday night. The Bobcats looked extremely dominant, shutting out the Blue Wave 3-0.
The Bobcats Dominate the First Half
The game started off dead even. It was a back-and-forth battle with the ball finding a home on both sides of the field. Simon Noguerol, of PK Yonge, attempted the first shot on goal. He wound up and booted one from half-field, only to be met by a strong save from the Buchholz goalie. With PK attempting the first shot on goal, the Bobcats had to get to work. Buchholz began to control the game of possession, keeping the ball on PK’s side of the field. Freshman Christian Segura showed why he is on varsity, making a beautiful pass upfield to Eduardo Fuzzy. Fuzzy displayed his elite footwork, dribbling past the goalie and putting the ball in the net for a goal. Buchholz now held a 1-0 lead.
Within the first ten minutes of play, Buchholz scores first on a goal that was shot behind the Waves goalie as the ball got past him and into the feet of a Bobcat.
Bobcats up 1-0. pic.twitter.com/Cb4TxmrXxB
— brandon (@BranH2001) November 16, 2022
Buchholz began to take control of the game from here. The Bobcats maintained a triangle of players around the ball at all times to keep passing options abundant. Buchholz showed their team chemistry, advancing down the field consistently with high-level give and goes. Christian Segura, Eduardo Fuzzy, and Nicholas Rossi are working together beautifully, bouncing the ball back and forth off of each other and dominating the time of possession.
PK was in danger of giving up a goal so they resorted to simply kicking the ball out of bounds. Buchholz found themselves with a corner kick. Eduardo Fuzzy placed a beautiful corner right in the box, bending the ball around the goalie with immense precision. Rossi was in perfect position, waiting right under the ball, leaping up and heading it in for a goal. The Bobcats now lead 2-0.
Tension Rises as the First Half Expires
Physicality was becoming more and more of a factor in this game. As the game got deeper into the half, the intensity was ramped up tenfold. Buchholz and PK were starting to get chippy, mouthing back and forth at each other. Eventually, the referees had enough. Luis Martin of PK Yonge received the first yellow card of the night.
Buchholz is playing keep away to get to the half and finds themselves with a corner kick to finish off the half. Fuzzy delivered another beautiful corner that once again is finished with a header, only this time, it’s Luke Smith. Buchholz now holds a convincing 3-0 lead. The clock ticks to zero and both teams head to their benches to asses the half.
A Bobcat corner sets up another goal for Buchholz. Bobcats lead 3-0 in the first half over the Blue Wave. pic.twitter.com/NRLNC38OFC
— brandon (@BranH2001) November 16, 2022
Buchholz Plays Keep Away
With a dominant 3-0 lead, all Buchholz had to do was maintain possession. PK, on the other hand, needed to make something happen and it had to happen soon. The Blue Wave seem to have something going, pushing the action on the Bobcats side of the field. Noguerol sends a beautiful lead pass to Teodoro Marson who was heartbreakingly called offsides, losing a beautiful goal opportunity. From here, Buchholz dominates the time of possession, passing the ball continuously and forcing a high pace of play.
The Blue Wave finally find themselves with an opportunity streaking down the field, only to be met again by a Buchholz defenseman. PK fired off their best shot of the night but Buchholz defenders willed themselves in front of the ball, deflecting it out of bounds. Buchholz, once again, is dominating the possession game. Buchholz is painfully outplaying PK, and it is noticeably frustrating the Blue Wave.
Javier Blanco lets his emotions ooze out onto the field and comes flying in uncontrollably, sending a Buchholz player straight to the ground. Blanco receives the second yellow card of the night for PK. The Bobcats just continue to do what they do, playing levelheaded and with poise. Buchholz continues to play keep-away, maintaining possession for the majority of the rest of the game. As the clock expires, the Bobcats are all smiles, leaving the field after a commanding 3-0 victory.
Post Game
After the game, Buchholz Head Coach Phillip Journey addressed his team’s offensive firepower saying, “We always concentrate on passing, possession, creating space, and moving the ball offensively.” In regards to the Bobcats impressive defensive stand, he stated, “I have really good players in the back, great defensemen. They pretty much know what to do and do it all themselves.”