BY DEREK SHORE
The Webb City soccer team didn't let blustery cold temperatures phase its play on Tuesday night at JHS Sports Complex.
Behind two goals in the final 20 minutes, the Cardinals (6-16) took a two-score lead late and rode it to a 3-1 victory over Joplin (8-13) in a Central Ozark Conference finale.
"We just put the ball in the net, and they finished some of the chances they had in tough conditions," Webb City coach Nick Harmon said. "I'm proud of them. It says a lot about this team to grind it out, I thought, especially in the second half. They showed a lot of character to bounce back after they conceded one early on in the second half."
In its final regular-season game, Joplin coach Josh Thompson said the team has plenty to improve upon with district play next week.
"We have got to be not so porous on the backline," Thompson said. "That's just straightforward there. We were trying to play defensively to start out, but we had a dumb foul that led to an easy goal. After that, we weren't wanting to be down going into half, so we had to switch some stuff up. And then we let in a second easy goal and then the third one — another easy goal. It was kind of downhill from there.
"We were playing from behind, and that's not a position we wanted to be in."
Webb City controlled momentum through the first half and carried it through the 60th minute in the second half before Joplin's Luis Alvarado knotted the score at 1-all when he blasted a kick past Cardinal goalkeeper Noah Mitchell.
"That gave us something there," Thompson said. "We were trying for it, and I'm glad Luis got another one in this season. I think he had one other this year. I was glad he got another one in."
But Webb City had a quick answer. In the 61st minute, Gustavo Sabbag had the ball at about midfield and fought off pressure before firing off a shot to the bottom right corner that found the back of the net to put the Cardinals up 2-1.
"Gustavo had his eyes up, and he saw he had space in front of him," Harmon said. "He put his laces through it and kept (the kick) low in wet conditions."
Webb City added to its advantage two minutes later — Alex Flores fielded a kick near the goal line and blasted a shot past Joplin keeper Brayden Anderson to give the Cardinals an insurance tally.
"That was big," Harmon said. "It put the game to rest. It gave us a boost to see the game out."
Webb City's Gabriel Gallegos put the Cardinals on the board in the first half with a goal in the 32nd minute.
Webb City closes out the regular season at home against McDonald County at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
DISTRICT MATCHUPS SET
The Class 4 District 12 matchups are set. Fourth-seeded Joplin plays top-seeded Nixa at 5 p.m. Monday in Republic in the semifinal round.
In Class 3 District 12, second- seeded Webb City plays third-seeded McDonald County at 4 p.m. Saturday in Neosho.
"We have to keep the momentum going," Harmon said. "I hope we finish the season out on a high note and score as many goals as we can."'
Joplin Globe 10/28/2020 (Used by permission)