Mehdi Badache scored a hat trick on Tuesday night, capped by the game-winning goal in the 75th minute, as SBCC held off Citrus 4-3 in a WSC men’s soccer match at La Playa Stadium.
Badache, a 6-6 sophomore from Tunisia who switched from defender to center forward a few weeks ago, had quick answers after the Owls (2-6-2, 1-4-1) took a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute on a defensive giveaway and a 2-1 lead in the 26th on a 21-yard free kick by Takuro Kawashima. Badache scored in the 9th minute on a cross by Napoleon Bergstroem and evened it at 2-2 in the 32nd minute on a long pass from Albi Skendi.
“This is my first hat trick and it feels good,” said Badache. “I don’t really care about the hat trick, all that matters is we won and we can still win the conference.”
The win was the 100th for men’s coach John Sisterson, who’s 100-45-19 in his eighth season and led the Vaqueros to the State Final Four in 2011.
“It was an interesting night,” said Sisterson. “I felt like we gave them a few goals but we came back every time to score our own. Mehdi is so enthusiastic and he’s a difficult guy to handle. We put him in a new role and now, he has five goals in his last two home games. That’s tremendous.
“I forgot all about my 100th win until Mehdi reminded me by coming over and giving me a kiss on top of my head.”
Sisterson also coaches the Vaquero women’s soccer team and is 119-44-35 in 10 seasons for a .689 win percentage.
Jonathan Mora gave the Vaqueros (4-7, 3-3) their first lead at 3-2 with a 34-yard blast in the 49th minute. Citrus tied it two minutes later when Yuwa Yamamoto made a nice back-heel pass to Paymon Minaie, who scored from close range.
Kebba Nyang started the game-winning goal with a cross in the 75th minute. Omar Montalvo’s shot caromed off a defender onto the feet of Badache, who beat the goalie from 12 yards out for his hat trick.
“We’ve been looking for somebody to play up front,” recalled Sisterson. “When I suggested Mehdi to the other coaches a couple of weeks back, they all said ‘Whaaaat?’ But I had faith in him and he’s done a good job.”
The Vaqueros travel to Santa Monica for a 1 p.m. game on Friday.
