BROWNSVILLE — Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers forward Javier Ballesteros fired the Chargers into the area round with a fourth-minute goal to beat the PSJA Southwest Javelinas 1-0 on Friday night.
“It was not our best game,” Brownsville Veterans coach Alberto Vasquez said. “We have five or six kids not feeling well. They are sick, under the weather, they have headaches, body aches and chills. They need to come off the field for water and to puke. These kids left everything out there.”
Ballesteros found space for the goal after playing a 1-2 with striker Roman Reyna to cut open the heart of the Javelinas’ defense. Ballesteros opted for placement and curled it past the Southwest keeper.
The match settled after the goal, and midfield battles ensued. Chargers defensive midfielder Alex Castro broke up Southwest attacks with beautifully timed sliding tackles. Fellow midfielder Liam O’Connell picked out multiple passes and provided copious amounts of energy in the midfield.
“They are a pretty good team,” Castro said. “We underestimated them in the beginning. It was a really intense game. We played our hearts out and got the result we wanted.”
Southwest started the second half sharply and forced a double save out of Brownsville Veterans keeper Brian Lara. The first shot was well-struck but straight at the keeper.
There was more of an intensity in the Javelinas to begin the second half. They came out on top of 50-50 challenges, dribbled past challenges and opened up the Chargers’ defense with through balls.
Despite the Javelinas’ need for a goal, the Chargers’ defense looked assured and composed. A couple of nervy moments were quelled by the tenacious Lara.
Dropping Ballesteros into the midfield kept Southwest a little more honest because of the need to track him. A couple of bad turnovers in the midfield by the Chargers led to Javelinas opportunities. Southwest lacked the finishing to punish Brownsville Veterans.
“We fought hard,” Southwest coach Juan Rodriguez said. “This is a very young team, very good game. I thought it would be a one-goal difference. Unfortunately it was not for us, it was for them.”
The Chargers looked like the likelier side to score during the final minutes, even though the Javelinas needed to attack and push numbers forward.
Brownsville Veterans is through to the area round and will next play Monday or Tuesday.
