USL LEAGUE TWO: Laredo Heat sizzle up Lonestar SC on the grill to remain perfect at 8-0-0
- Dan Stickradt
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
At plus-22, the Heat are tied for fourth in scoring with a 27-5 scoring edge
LAREDO, Texas – The Laredo Heat SC switched leagues after last summer.
Returning to the USL League Two after a few years of competing in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the Heat continued their winning ways Friday by sizzling up Texas rival Lonestar FC 7-0 at PEG Energy Stadium in Lone Star Division play.
The win kept the Heat – now ranked third in North American in the USL League Two polls this week – improved to a perfect 8-0-0 on the season for 24 points to lead the Lone Star Division.
The Heat have dominated opponents, posting a 27-5 scoring edge with three shutouts along the way. Laredo has averaged 3.38 goals-per-game and have posted a stout 0.63 goals against average as a team.
Did we say dominated?
Against Lonestar SC, the Heat did everything right to display a dominating effort – holding a 15-5 shots advantage and recorded their third clean sheet in the last four games and the first shutout at home this season.
Lonestar SC fell to 4-3-0 in the division and into second place with 12 points. The two third place sides, Twin City Toucans (3-2-1, 10 points) and Corpus Christi FC (3-3-1, 10 points), are quite a distance behind. In fact, Laredo now has a 12-point lead on Lonestar SC in the division.
Laredo – one of just two remaining USL League Two teams to be unbeaten, as Asheville City FC is the other – could clinch the division title over the next two weeks if it keeps on its current course.
The Heat’s engine was firing on all cylinders against Lonestar SC, as the hosts scored three goals in the first half and jumped on Lonestar for four more in the second half to win going away.
Adam Knutson scored what proved to be the game-winner in just the third minute to set the tone and Sergio Eduardo Meza Carrillo netted the natural hat trick on the night as the Heat cooked Lonestar for dinner.
Elie Williams Bokota pushed the lead to 2-0 with a 37th minute goal before Meza Carrillo got untracked. The talented forward scored just before the half in the 44th minute, then tacked on the next two goals in the 51st and 55th minutes, respectively, to complete the tri-fecta.
Volkan Cecikkol chipped in with a tally in the 85th and Todd Vromant sent one home in the 90th minute to cap the scoring and eighth straight win.
Goalkeeper Marc Bonnaire was rarely tested in recording the clean sheet. Kai Louviere, Civan De Jesus Ferreira, Vincent Montoya and Yurok Cho combined efforts along the back line to completely stymie Lonestar SC’s attack.
While the defensive unit has conceded the aforementioned five goals and helped pitch the three shutouts, the Heat’s offense is tied for fourth overall in the 143-team USL League Two at plus-22 along with San Juan SC.
FC Tucson stands at plus-42, followed by Asheville City SC (plus-30) and Lionsbridge FC (plus-24).
The USL League Two postseason will begin in mid-July, with 35 teams in the 143-team league qualifying for the postseason this year.
USL LEAGUE TWO POSTSEASON FORMAT: https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/layout_container/show_layout_tab?layout_container_id=128068014&page_node_id=2242546&tab_element_id=358080
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