Boys soccer | Piedmont falls at home to Mt. Eden

Harper Mand (from a Jan. 2024 game against Castro Valley)

Highlanders battle Monarchs

Piedmont High School’s boys soccer team lost a tough game at home to Mt. Eden on January 28, 3-2.

The Highlanders scored first, getting a quick goal in just the second minute of the match. Roman Ahearn sent a corner kick to the far side of the goal where Gianluca Bini put it in front. There, Harper Mand put the ball in the net for a 1-0 lead.

In the 20th minute, Mt. Eden got the equalizer when Roberto Torres-Quezada put a very pretty direct kick over the wall and into the far corner of the Piedmont net.

In the 29th minute, the Monarchs took the lead on a nifty goal by Diego Villagomez from a tough angle. The score was 2-1 at halftime.

Mt. Eden’s Isaac Basulto got a shot off in the 58th minute that Lucas Malecki saved. But the rebound went right to Luis Duarte who put it home for a 3-1 lead.

The Highlanders got one back in the 63rd minute when Ahearn sent a cross to Jacques Saldanha who headed the ball in.

Piedmont played the last 10 minutes with just 10 on the pitch after Ahearn got a second yellow card. The Highlanders couldn’t level the match down one.

“I think their goals had really good quality on them and we had some good chances, [but we need] that final composure and quality to really get what we’re trying to get out of it,” Piedmont coach Ben Russell said. “I was happy with a way that boys adapted. I thought the boys worked hard, competing in the midfield, it definitely turned into a basketball game at the end where we were sort of pushing forward.”

Piedmont beat Hayward at Witter Field on January 30, 3-1. No information was available on the match. The Highlanders next play at Alameda on February 4.

Piedmont is now 4-7-4 on the season, 3-3-4 in West Alameda County Conference Foothill division play. Mt. Eden is now 11-3-5 and 6-1-3.

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