The Pacific League schedule wasn’t ideal for the Burbank High boys’ soccer team as it opened with defending league champion Pasadena High Friday.
Burbank had to be sharp and it was just that, earning a 4-2 home victory.
“We fully deserved the win. I’m more disappointed that we didn’t shut them out 4-0,” Burbank coach Raz Adoti said. “I’ll take responsibility for that. I made some changes to get some guys some minutes. This is a very good start to the season and the boys should be confident.”
Burbank got three goals from junior Gabriel Mier, who assisted on the Bulldogs’ fourth goal.
“In the days leading up to this game I told my teammates that this is probably the best team we’re going to go against,” Mier said. “I told them to come in hungry because they beat us last year and we wanted to get them back.”
Mier got Burbank on the board 10 minutes into the match when he converted on a through ball.
Pasadena nearly tied minutes before halftime, as Cristian Orozco hit the post in the 38th minute.
Pasadena’s Adrian Ledesma nearly scored on a header in the 42nd minute.
Burbank was fortunate because a minute later the match took a significant turn as Pasadena defender Kirobi Pinto was sent off for a challenge on Mier, as he was the last defender on a goal-scoring opportunity.
Burbank earned a free kick at the edge of the goal box for the infraction. Mier’s shot went around the wall and into the left corner, extending Burbank’s lead to 2-0.
“It was in the perfect spot,” Mier said. “I practice those all the time. I knew exactly what to do and where to place it.”
Mier scored for a third time in the 57th minute as he put together a fine solo effort that ended with a shot into the left corner of Pasadena’s net from Burbank’s right side.
Mier got free once again in the 64th minute and was able to find a wide open Bryan Juarez, who put the ball in the back of the net.
Down four goals and a man, Pasadena still fought back to score a pair of goals.
In the 71st minute, Pasadena’s Gio Arambulo took a corner kick that that was headed by Jaden Thorpe to Ledesma, who put it in the goal.
Three minutes later, Ledesma added yet another goal as Arambulo found Ledesma alone in the goal box to put another shot into the net.
