September 25, 2020: Cal United Strikers vs Los Angeles Force

September 25, 2020
2020 NISA Fall Tournament Group Stage, Game Eight
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI

Cal United FC 2, Los Angeles Force 3
LAF Christian Gordillo Moreno (PK) 37′
LAF Christian Gordillo Moreno (Paolo Cardozo) 45+’
CAL Omar Nuno 58′
LAF Christian Gordillo Moreno (Paolo Cardozo) 69′
CAL Christian Thierjung (Omar Nuno) 74′

Yellow Cards:
Christian Gordillo Moreno (LAF) 28′

After the nil-nil Chattanooga FC vs New York Cosmos match, we were treated to the match that had the most goals score in the tournament thus far.

The Cal United Strikers and Los Angeles Force have played each other four times in the past year, with Cal United winning two, and the other two ending in a draw.

After defeating the New York Cosmos, Cal United decided to stick with the winning formula and same starting eleven.

STARTING XI

Cal United Strikers
Steven Barrera – Keeper
Ikaika Fuerte – Defender
Michael Bryant – Defender
Chris Klute – Defender
Ayden Bowers – Defender
Kevin Garcia-Lopez – Defender
Duncan Capriotti – Midfielder
Christian Theirjung – Midfielder
Shane Kaemerle – Midfielder
Shinya Kadono – Midfielder
Abraham Villon – Forward

The Force replaced two of their starting eleven from their match against Chattanooga FC.  Franky Martinez and Spencer Moeller started in place of Jonatan Valle and Abraham Torres.  Torres was serving the suspension for the red card issued against him in the Chattanooga match.

STARTING XI

Los Angeles Force
Hugo Gomez – Keeper
Franky Martinez – Defender
Spencer Moeller – Defender
Quinton Carey – Defender
Gregory Salazar – Defender
Josue Espana – Midfielder
Jimmie Villalobos – Midfielder
Cyro Reis de Oliveira – Midfielder
Paolo Cardozo – Midfielder
Danny Trejo – Forward
Cristian Gordillo Moreno – Forward

In the 37th minute, Josue Espana was taken down in the Cal United box, setting up a penalty kick which Cristian Gordillo Moreno converted, giving the Force a one-goal lead.

As the first half entered into added time, Paolo Cardozo sent a free kick into the box.  Cristian Gordillo Moreno flicked it with his head across the face of the goal, which bounced into the corner of the net, to double the LA Force lead going into halftime.

In the 58th minute, Cal United substitutes combined to score.  Evan Waldrep, who had subbed in for injured Duncan Capriotti in the 35th minute, ripped a shot from well outside the box, which struck the crossbar and fell into the box.  Quinton Carey guided the ball out of the box, however Omar Nuno, who replaced Shane Kaemerle at half time, muscled him off, brought the ball back in, and fired this shot into the upper corner of the net.

Eleven minutes later, though, Paolo Cardozo and Danny Trejo made a little give-and-go play outside the Cal United box.  Cardozo drew the Cal United defender toward him, then fed the ball to a wide open Cristian Gordillo Moreno to slot home his hat trick goal, giving the Force a 3-1 lead.

At halftime, Cal United had substituted Kevin Jeon for Kevin Garcia-Lopez, then brought in Andy Contreras in for Abraham Villon in the 73rd minute and Juan Pablo Ocegueda for the injured Ikaika Fuerte in the 74th.

In the 74th minute, Cal United had a throw-in on the sideline near the Los Angeles box.  It was launched and fell onto the rising heads of an LA and Cal player, popping the ball up and further into the box where Omar Nuno attempted a bicycle kick.  The shot went errant but toward the goal where Christian Theirjung was open to fire it home, cutting the Los Angeles lead.

Cristian Gordillo Moreno took his three goals and a seat at the 73rd minute, replaced by Jesus Gonzalez for Los Angeles.  Gordillo was a former Cal United player, so this will likely add fuel to the rivalry between these two teams.  Then the Force brought in four sets of fresh legs in the 82nd minute.  Erick Villatoro, Moja Hale, Jonathan Partida, and Christopher Ribet  came in for Danny Trejo, Paolo Cardozo, Josue Espana, and Cyro Reis de Oliveria, to defend the lead.  Cal United could not get the equalizer, and this exciting and entertaining match ended with Los Angeles’ first victory against Cal United.

Tonight’s match results kept all four teams in Group B alive going into the final day of the group stage.

Chattanooga FC 1-1-0 4 pts +2 goal differential
Cal United Strikers 1-0-1 3 pts +1 goal differential
Los Angeles Force 1-0-1 3 pts -1 goal differential
New York Cosmos 0-1-1 1 pts -2 goal differential

The entire tournament can be found HERE.