Carson's Rogelio Herrera battles with Douglas' Niklas Wegner for possesion Friday night.
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.
Despite being outshot 15-2, the Douglas Tigers knocked off Carson, 1-0, Friday night at the Jim Frank Track & Field Complex in a Sierra League boys soccer match.
The loss dropped Carson, which was celebrating Senior Night, to 9-2 in league play.
The lone goal came in the 56th minute when a direct free kick bounced off the body of Peter Garrett and past keeper Efren Ramirez to break a scoreless tie. Ramirez had just entered the game two minutes earlier when senior Victor Guardado was injured.
It was that kind of night for the Senators, who dominated the game in every aspect, but were unable to find the net despite several opportunities from close range.
“We were playing to play defense,” Douglas coach Milko Vasquez said. “Luke (Heinrichs, keeper) played a great game. Carson has some kids that can crack the ball. Our defense was outstanding.”
Heinrichs made two sensational plays, one in each half. In the 38th minute, he came out from between the posts to make a sliding play on a through ball. In the 54th minute, he deflected a shot by Rogelio Herrera.
Douglas did a nice job of holding its own in the midfield against the Senators, who played without Jonathan Limon, Alex Gonzalez and Guillermo Hernandez, all out with injuries.
“I give credit to their keeper,” Carson coach Mike Alvarez said. “He saved two goals for sure. That sliding stop was big. He (Garrett) misjudged the ball and it went into the goal.
“Playing without those three guys was big. They are all center midfielders. It made a big difference.”
Jon Garcia’s shot in the seventh minute sailed over the crossbar, and then nine minutes later, Osvaldo Gomez hit the left upright. After Oscar Ventura missed in the 19th minute, the Senators had a good run in the 21st minute which failed to produce a shot.
Douglas made a nice run in the 23rd minute, but Salvador Rodriguez broke up the play.
Herrera, who had put up back-to-back hat tricks, had seven shots on goal without converting. He missed wide on a nice through ball by Abel Sanchez in the 35th minute and was turned away in the final two minutes of the first half. “We were unlucky that first half,” Alvarez said. “It easily could have been 3-0 or 4-0. We had some good looks.”
Herrera had good looks in the 54th and 56th minute. The first attempt was stopped on a great deflection by Heinrichs, and the second shot went wide.
Ramirez came on and Douglas scored two minutes later. Carson had four good looks in the final 13 minutes, but was unable to convert.
The Senators had one goal called back because of an offsides penalty, a call which had the Carson coaches shaking their heads in disbelief.
Carson visits Damonte Ranch Wednesday at 7 p.m.