If a team is going to take its lumps, it is certainly better to have that happen early in the season rather than later.
The Burroughs High boys’ soccer team opened its season Wednesday evening at Memorial Field against Los Angeles City Section power Birmingham.
The result was not pretty as Burroughs was dominated throughout much of the contest as the visiting Cavaliers earned a 5-0 victory.
“We had a specific game plan playing against this team. We knew what their capabilities are and they showed that today. It’s not the result we wanted but the most important thing was to compete. Now from this moment forward we look to fit everything we (made mistakes on),” Burroughs coach Mark Martinez said.
Burroughs (0-1) was missing several players due to club soccer commitments. The Bears had just a few scoring chances, and struggled to control the midfield.
The Bears had a chance to strike in the 10th minute when Seven Elkin hit the left post as he chipped the ball over the goalie who had come out for a save.
Birmingham (3-0-1) finally got on the board in the 25th minute as Robert Meja scored on a cross from Daniel Hernandez.
Two minutes later the Patriots doubled their lead as left-footed right winger Migsael Zallaba knocked home a loose ball. It was the first of three goals he would score.
In the second half, Zallaba looked much like Argentine legend Angel Di Maria as he operated down the side of the pitch but would sneak inside by moving the ball with his left foot.
Birmingham took a 3-0 lead in the 50th minute as midfielder Christopher Valencia fired an outstanding shot from well outside the goal box that found the back of the net in the lower left corner.
Elkin nearly got Burroughs a goal in the 62nd minute as he split two Birmingham defenders only to have his shot attempt blocked at the last second by Cris Lazo.
Zallaba added his second goal in the 64th minute on a long ball in which he won a foot race down the right side. After settling the ball inside the goal box, he even switched to his natural left foot before putting the ball into the left corner.
His third goal came in the 80th minute as he drilled a loose ball into the upper right corner of the goal.
“I told the guys we need to keep improving game by game,” Birmingham coach Gustavo Villalobos said.
