The ment’s Knights soccer team was able to tie after a last-minute pass that stunned the goalie of El Camino-Compton Center, ending their match with a 2-2 tie on Sep. 8 at San Diego City College soccer field.

During the first half, the Tartars quickly dominated the field and Knights struggled to get possession of the ball. Both teams battled for the ball in the midfield near the Knights’ small area. Compton made deadlier counter-attacks and was more effective in stopping their opponent’s advancement.

Compton continued its siege of the Knights and made several shots on goal, some of them deflected, and some that ended in the hands of sophomore goalie Jose Calvario.

City College also had some shots on goal but Compton continued dominating. However,  when the Tartars left an open space on goal, sophomore Francisco Contreras scored the first goal of game.

After this, the game become more a aggressive. Knights had to work harder to repel the Tartars’ attacks.

Towards the end of the first half, Compton concluded one if its counter attacks. Freshman forwards Angel Gomez and Jose Avila got into the Knights’ small area, evading the defense. Forward Angel Gomez tied the game 1-1.

The second half was even tighter. The Tatars continued to dominate and the tension grew among the players.

The game became more intense, and the players and started to make more fouls.

Knights change their line-up and strategy  but they were unsuccessful.

The third goal of the game came during minute 29 , when freshman midfielder Odoom Baisie-Mensa got control of a loose ball in the small area after a mistake by the Knights’ defense.

One of the fouls was costly for the Knights.

Sophomore midfielder Adrian Guzman was leading what seemed a lethal drive against City College. Freshman midfielder Kaleb Rubin was at first keeping up with him but then Guzman began to pull away. Then Rubin fouled Guzman, stopping Compton’s attack, earning himself red card.

The Knights played the last minutes with a man down and it seemed the game would end 2-1 in favor of the Tartars. But City College surprised Compton when Contreras scored his second goal of the game, again tying the match.

Tartars Head Coach Jose Garcia said he thought that his team should have won the match. “ I think we deserved to win the game but unfortunately we just couldn’t put away the game the last 15 minutes.”

Knights Head Coach Milton Hidalgo was pleased with final score but he was aware the team needs improvement. “We need to work on our possession, keeping the ball,” he said.

According to Hidalgo, Knights have started this season stronger than their previous one, and despite only seven of the 24 players being sophomores he believes the team can do better this year.

So far, the team has won two, lost one, tied two games and scored a total of 13 goals. Forward Francisco Contreras has scored eight of them and he is the state leader.