City Final in the Cards for El Camino Real

Zach Feldman of El Camino Real High told his teammates at school Wednesday that the best team wasn’t going to win the City Section Championship semifinal soccer game that afternoon against Gardena.

Feldman, the Conquistadores’ captain, spent third period with Coach David Hussey sweeping water off the field and mopping what couldn’t be swept.

Feldman said the conditions meant the victory would go to the team that played the hardest.

He was partially right.

El Camino Real did play harder, taking a 2-0 lead into the 39th minute when Gardena Coach Martin Mira received his second yellow card and was ejected from the game.

El Camino Real was awarded a 1-0 forfeit victory because under City Section rules, a team must forfeit if its coach is kicked out.

El Camino Real plays the winner of today’s game between University and Hamilton on Saturday at UCLA.

“This was our last home game for the seniors,” Feldman said. “We would have loved to have finished the game. We couldn’t do anything about [the way the game ended]. I know Hussey would never do anything like that. He stays composed.”

The confrontation between Mira and the referee occurred after defender Magdiel Bautista of Gardena was injured. The referee asked Mira to attend to Bautista.

Mira refused and said he told the referee he wanted Bautista to stay on the field.

When the referee told Mira Bautista must leave the field, Mira stepped out on the field and began yelling at the referee.

Mira, who earned a yellow card early in the first half for dissent, received a second one.

“I wanted an explanation and he said if I didn’t leave the field that we are leaving,” Mira said. “We are going to protest. I might have a good argument, but it’s not going to get overturned.

“I still want to know why I needed to substitute my player. An El Camino Real player went down earlier and he didn’t have to leave.”

After Mira got the second yellow, he continued to argue with the referee, who then called the game.

Ori Adrabi scored both goals for El Camino Real.