Cuello paces Burbank to victory

Jim Riggio

LUTHER BURBANK MIDDLE SCHOOL -- They say great players step up in

great games.

If such is the case, Burbank High soccer star Daniel Cuello is

certainly a great player.

The Burbank High senior, who said he has signed a national letter of

intent to attend Cal State Northridge, played perhaps his best match of

the season as the Bulldogs rallied to defeat host Burroughs 3-2 at Luther

Burbank Middle School.

“What I appreciate about him is his ability to see the game from

differente perspective,” Burbank Coach Ricardo Valenzuela said of Cuello.

Cuello had a hand in all three Burbank goals, scoring once and

assisting twice. He has 16 goals and 14 assists for the season.

After the two teams tied 1-1 in their first match, Valenzuela decided

to change strategy and move Cuello back further and more into the

midfield.

“If you have him up front he usually has two people marking him and we

lose his talent,” Valenzuela said. “He can hold the ball out there and

that’s what we want. We ended up at the end (of an attack) with six

forwards We obligated all the midfielders to move up into the attack.”

Burbank (8-8-3, 2-2-3) scored three minutes into the match, as Cuello

launched a ball perfectly over the Indian defense to Jeffrey Ruiz, who

put the ball past goalie Allen Machuca.

Burroughs (8-8-5, 2-4-2), came right back, scoring in the fourth

minute as Raul Medina scored off a cross from Cesar Corzo, as the ball

deflected off of the hands of Burbank goalie Rodrigo Maya.

Burbank continud to control the midfield throughout most of the first

half with Cuello, Walid Kherbache and Edward Navarro leading the way.

But the Bulldogs could not finish an opportunity and Burroughs did for

a second time just before halftime.

Ruben Escalera gave the Indians a 2-1 lead as he put the ball in with

Maya out of position after the Bulldog goalie had come off his line to

fist the ball out.

Burbank would come back, though.

Two minutes into the second half they received a break, as Cuello was

fouled in the penalty box. He converted the penalty, tying the score.

Bothered my a sore right hamstring which briefly sidelined him in the

second half, Cuello helped set up the game winner for the Bulldogs.

In the 70th minute, dribbling down the right sideline Cuello slipped

and then got back up and dribbled past two Burroughs defenders before

passing to a wide open Navarro, who from two yards in front put the ball

in past Machuca.

“Danny is a very good player. We gave him a lot of attention,”

Burroughs Coach Mike Kodama said. “We had our chances. It came down to

making plays in the penalty box and who made the fewest mistakes.”