Four Goals by Gomez Make It a Patriot Game

Jaime Gomez scored a career-high four goals--one late in regulation and another in overtime--to give Birmingham High a 5-3 victory over Monroe in a second-round City Championship boys’ soccer game Thursday at Birmingham.

Monroe (9-3-3) took an early lead against the top-seeded Patriots when Danny Morales took Jorge Quiroz’s length-of-the-field pass, beat two defenders and evaded goalie John Wall in the fifth minute.

Morales was credited with another goal two minutes before halftime when he tried to thread a pass through five defenders, but the ball ricocheted off the right knee of Kenny Garcia of Birmingham for a 2-0 Monroe lead.

“A 2-0 lead in soccer is usually too difficult to overcome,” said Coach Jose Friere of Birmingham, whose team had not fallen behind by more than one goal before halftime all season.

“But my guys played like champions and they showed heart.”

The senior-laden Patriots (18-4-3), West Valley League champions and ranked No. 1 in the region by The Times, wasted little time in the second half.

Gomez headed in the first of his goals five minutes into the half off a corner-kick by Francisco Flores. The 6-foot-1 junior followed up about 17 minutes later with another header to tie the score.

But the feisty Vikings would not go away.

Jose Gomez of Monroe headed a floater over Wall’s head two minutes later for a 3-2 lead but Jaime Gomez scored with two minutes left to force a 20-minute overtime and give the Patriots the momentum.

“That third goal was big and it was just a defender’s error,” said Coach Alias Andrade of Monroe.

“Individually, they had the better team, and when they got the momentum, they played well.”

Seeing Monroe’s defenders were fatigued, Friere directed defender Mike Erush to move up as a sweeper, and Monroe failed to adjust.

Jonathan Moreno’s blast from 20 yards gave Birmingham its first lead and Gomez’s goal with three minutes remaining provided insurance.

* Round of boys’ and girls’ Southern Section playoff games. Page 16