Montgomery Blair High vs Einstein High School

Photo courtesy of Tino Pham. Blair boys’ soccer has only played in one match so far this season that was decided by more than one goal — its 5-2 loss to Blake on Sept. 10. The rest have been one-goal games, and the rest have also been Blazer wins. This trend continued Saturday, as Blair eked out a 3-2 win over Einstein, a team that earned just its second loss of the season. Blair’s Myko Idiokitas controlled the Blazers’ back line, assuming duties on both free kicks and corner kicks, while also providing a stifling, containing presence in the center of the defense. The Titans had ample opportunities on free kicks in Blair territory, but the Blazers swiftly dealt them away, either with its goalkeeper stepping up to corral the kick, or via some solid blocks. After no scoring in the opening half of play, Blair opened the scoring 13 minutes into the second frame. An errant Titans pass that was attempted to be swung to the centerback was intercepted by Blair’s No. 11. Streaking down the sideline with a defender approaching, the Blazers had a 3-on-2 advantage deep in Einstein’s half of the field. No. 11 crossed the ball into the box on the ground, and Blair’s No. 9 did well to let the ball pass him, making the Titans’ defenders freeze for half a beat. The ball continued on the the center of the field, where Oscar Pinto Acosta got his boot on the ball, burying it in the bottom-right corner to give Blair the early 1-0 lead. But then it was the Titans that bounced back with a fury. Just three minutes after the Blazers’ score, Einstein found itself with a penalty kick opportunity and buried it right down the center of the net. With this newfound momentum and energy, it retook possession right after the ensuing kickoff. Working down the right sideline, a Titan winger made a quick turn in the corner before lofting a ball into the box. The ball bounced off the top of a Blair defender before careening to the back post. From there, a Titan striker was all alone to control the ball and drive it into the back of the net, giving Einstein a 2-1 lead with 28 minutes left. But the action wasn’t done just yet. Blair returned the favor 20 minutes later, with just under nine minutes left in the match. After already having had a penalty kick saved in the interim, Josue Reyes Rubio didn’t make another mistake. Instead, 15 yards out from the goal, he pinged a missile into the top-right corner of the goal under heavy pressure. The goalkeeper didn’t even have time to react. Then the dagger came in the 10-minute overtime period. A strike 12 yards out from the goal that snuck into the top-left corner of the goal sealed the deal halfway through the extra frame.