Moreno Does the Trick for Birmingham, 4-0

VAN NUYS — Seconds into his team’s 4-0 Northwest Valley Conference victory over Cleveland on Friday, the voice of Birmingham High boys’ soccer Coach Jose Freire was carrying across the field.

“Rapido, rapido!” he cried, imploring the host Braves to pass the ball quickly.

His team responded. Quickly.

Before either side had the chance to break a sweat in the afternoon heat, midfielder Jaime Tinajero threaded a pass to streaking forward Joel Moreno, who fired a shot into the right side of the goal.

About 10 minutes later, Moreno again found himself in the clear. He took a pass from Tinajero and gave Birmingham (10-4-3, 7-3-1) a second goal the Braves wouldn’t even need. Moreno poked a header past helpless Cleveland goalie Luis Cruz late in the second half, completing his second three-goal match of the season.

Tinajero notched his own goal early in the second half off a deep pass from fellow co-captain Gabriel Ortega.

It was Birmingham’s second 4-0 victory over Cleveland (5-4-2, 5-4-2) this week. The Braves won at Cleveland Monday.

“The way our kids play with one-touch passes, when we do well, we’re really able to dominate,” Freire said.

And dominate they did. Pinpoint passing and ball control in the middle left Cleveland on its heels for most of the match.

Cleveland mustered only a handful of weak opportunities against lanky sophomore goalie Basil Grant. Grant, recently moved from forward, has allowed one goal in three matches he’s played.