By Tom Price Jr.
The Lindsay Cardinals boy's soccer team opened their season with a 0-0 tie against Strathmore on Wednesday, then fell to Granite Hills 2-0 the next day.
Against Granite Hills, goals were surrendered on two defensive mistakes. The first came on a penalty kick after a Cardinal defender lost sight of a Granite Hills forward and was forced to foul him before getting the shot off. The second goal came after the Cardinals overloaded one side of the field and the Huskies were able to score from the weak side.
"Two minor mistakes cost us in that game," Cardinal midfielder Luis Ibarra said. "Granite Hills is a pretty good team."
The young Cardinals are returning only two starters and two bench players from last year, so for most of its players last week was their first time on the field in Lindsay uniforms.
"Our main concern right now is improving on defense," Ibarra said. "We are basically rebuilding the team and we are trying to build a strong defense so that we can stay with teams and once we get there we will build our offense on that."
The Cardinals had a good start to the season shutting out Strathmore. Lindsay was the aggressor for much of the contest spending a lot of time in Spartan territory but never really threatening around the goal.
"We had just a few chances to score but just couldn't get it in," Cardinal coach Sergio Miguel said. "I think we did a little more than Strathmore but I think the team still needs to mature."
Lindsay came dangerously close to losing the game when goalie Jesus Medina deflected an attempted shot wide of the goal at the beginning of the second half.
Along with Medina's performance Miguel is pleased with the play of Mario Galves who is playing sweeper for the first time this season.
"He really learned to play the game and that position today," Miguel said. "He showed today that he is going to improve much more."
The Cardinals will participate in the Parlier Tournament this week and the Immanuel Tournament the following week.
