Zodiac Misses Chance to Take Major Step

Well, at least there was one positive to come out of the Zodiac’s 2-0 loss to the Division 3 Carolina Dynamo in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Hardly anyone was there to see it.

Only about 150 showed up Tuesday night at Santa Ana Stadium to watch the Zodiac play its worst game of the season at the worst possible time. Had the A-League Zodiac defeated the lower-level Dynamo, it would have played Columbus of the MLS on July 13 in the Crew’s new soccer stadium.

But Orange County was as listless as its crowd and co-coach Ricardo Minaya couldn’t understand it.

“As a young guy, what else do you want but a chance to play in front of a huge crowd against an MLS team?” Minaya said. “After playing in front of a crowd like this, I would think that would be the biggest thrill you could get.”

But Carolina, which entered the night third in the Atlantic Division of Division 3, played more inspired soccer throughout. It took the lead on a goal by Maher Atta in the 12th minute and scored again two minutes into the second half when Jose Espindola beat Zodiac goalkeeper Mike Littman from just inside the penalty box.

The Zodiac’s best scoring opportunities came on a Jose Vazquez to Jason Boyce give-and-go late in the first half and a Steve Patterson left-footer from point blank range in the 63rd minute. Boyce was turned away by Carolina goalkeeper Adrian Powell, who came 15 yards out to contest the shot. Patterson’s shot flew well over the crossbar.

“We prepared well,” Atta said as his teammates danced around as if they had won the World Cup. “We saw on film they were slow in the back playing the ball. We felt like we could strip it from them and we did.”

Boyce, a 1994 Corona del Mar graduate, was signed over the weekend after being cut by the Miami Fusion of the MLS. He hopes to provide a spark the Zodiac is obviously lacking.

“The guys are in a little funk right now,” Boyce said. “Hopefully, we’ll start to come together.”