https://www.dailybreeze.com/2024/01/10/palos-verdes-and-mira-costa-boys-soccer-battle-to-draw-in-first-meeting/
By DAMIAN CALHOUN | dcalhoun@scng.com | Daily Breeze
PUBLISHED: January 10, 2024 at 7:43 p.m. | UPDATED: January 10, 2024 at 8:10 p.m.
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Mira Costa’s Marco Bottene races toward goal with Palos Verdes players in pursuit during Bay League boys soccer match Wednesday Jan. 10. 2024 (Photo by Robert Casillas, Contributing Photographer)
MANHATTAN BEACH — The first half between the Mira Costa and Palos Verdes boys soccer teams had the feeling of a playoff match.
That intensity never went away as the game went through regulation and two overtime periods. That’s become expected whenever the two teams meet.
“That’s what we’re used to,” Palos Verdes coach Derek Larkins said. “There was a lot of momentum.”
The end result was a 1-1 draw on the scoreboard, leaving the teams tied for first place in the Bay League.
The teams will meet again Jan. 26 at Palos Verdes.
“It would have been awesome to win, but I know our guys are feeling good about how we played,” Larkins said. “I didn’t need to give any inspirational speeches to get them up for Mira Costa. It’s fun, it was a playoff atmosphere.”
PV (7-6-1, 2-0-1) trailed until the 57th minute, when it caught a break. On a throw-in, Mira Costa defender Matteo Crisera headed the ball off his arm and the referee signaled for a penalty kick.
Oliver Knotek stepped up and converted for the Sea Kings to make it 1-1.
“I’m disappointed to come out with only a point,” Knotek said. “That was a phenomenal performance from the whole team. The defense, midfield to the offense, we battled hard. We knew this was going to be a big game. We want to beat them as bad as any team in the country. This is our rival. I’m glad we gave them a hell of a game.”
Both teams had good possession in the first half, but it was Mira Costa (15-1-3, 2-0-1) that broke through first on the scoreboard.
Off of a deep throw-in, the second ball made its way to Marco Bottene, who scored his 21st goal of the season.
Both teams had near chances in the second half, but nothing materialized until Knotek’s successful penalty kick.
Mira Costa had scored 58 goals entering the game and had been shut out only once through its first 18 games.
“I think the lesson and message is you can’t leave it to anybody else,” Mira Costa coach Al Brown said. “I think it was a fair result 1-1. I think we’re the better team out there, generally, some stretches where we really have to do a better job reasserting ourselves.
“When we just calm down, we can pass around other teams. … Ace (Tendale) had one with his right foot, one with his left foot, hitting side-net. Grant (Gilmer) had one at the end, it was bouncing, can’t get himself through the ball enough. We had the majority of the chances, clear-cut chances, so it comes down to execution.”
The two 10-minute overtime periods didn’t go quietly. In the first, Tendale slipped behind the Sea Kings backline and went down as he went for the ball in a collision with goalkeeper Stefan Dreer. It would have set up a potential game-winning penalty kick, but the referee waved play on.
Both teams will be back in action Friday. Palos Verdes will be on the road at Culver City, and Mira Costa will be at Santa Monica.
