Defender Luis Cisneros scored with a minute left in regulation to lift Carpinteria to a 3-2 win over Rio Mesa on the last day of the Buena New Year’s Soccer Tournament on Thursday.
Adam Ughoc dribbled up the right side, avoided a tackle and laid the ball back for Cisneros, who pushed forward into the attack.
“They wanted to win and they showed it in the last four minutes,” Carpinteria coach Danny Torres said of his team, which rallied from a 2-1 deficit.
Defender Genaro Hurtado tied the score in the 16th minute, scoring off a corner kick from Edwin Elizarraras.
Rio Mesa reclaimed the lead, 2-1, midway through the second half, and Carpinteria suffered another blow when senior forward Oscar Montes left the game with an injury.
“I thought we were done,” Torres said. “We had a lot of chances but we couldn’t score. Their goalie was making a bunch of saves.”
But freshman Johnny Requejo lifted the Warriors’ spirits with a goal off an assist from Elizarraras.
Carpinteria (6-1-3) returns to action on Jan. 10 when it opens league play against Oaks Christian.
