The sport of soccer can be a cruel game sometimes.
“You can be the better side all the way through and still lose,” said Ankeny Centennial boys’ coach Brian Duax.
Duax made that comment following the fourth-ranked Jaguars’ 2-1 loss at No. 6 Valley on Tuesday. His team dominated much of the game, but still went home with a defeat.
“We had a lot of chances,” said Centennial senior Rashidi Ishibwami, who scored the team’s only goal in the 47th minute. “As the coaches always tell us, we can have possession and have all these chances, but it comes down to just finishing our chances and being clinical in front of the goal. That’s all it comes down to.”
The Tigers scored the winning goal in the 74th minute. Aj Colocho took a pass from Grady Walston and found the net from about 30 yards out.
The goal came after Colocho created some space with an apparent push-off against a Centennial defender that was not deemed a foul.
“It always stings to literally give up two shots on goal and be in complete control of the game for 99 percent of it, but give up two shots and two goals,” Duax said.
Valley took an early 1-0 lead on a goal in the 9th minute. On a counterattack, Cristian Catalan scored off an assist by Colocho.
The Tigers appeared to score again early in the second half, but the goal was negated by an offsides call.
Then, just a few minutes later, Centennial got the equalizer from Ishibwami. With his back to the goal, he used a bicycle kick to deflect the ball off a Valley defender and into the net.
It was his sixth goal of the season.
“It was one of those deals where you’re driven–the passion is there,” Ishibwami said. “You want to keep going. That was part of the goal right there. It’s probably the first time I’ve scored a goal that way in high school soccer.”
The Jaguars nearly took the lead midway through the second half. A left-footed rocket from Andrew Heckenlaible nearly got past Valley goalkeeper Alexander Poitan, but the freshman batted the ball away.
“We created plenty of opportunities to score,” Duax said. “We just weren’t clinical enough in front of the net.”
The Tigers eventually got the game-winner from Colocho.
“I think there’s definitely things we need to work on,” said Centennial defender Kwaku Kwarteng. “We’re not at our best yet. But when the time comes, we’ll be ready.”
It was the fifth straight win for Valley, which improved to 2-1 in the CIML Conference and 7-1 overall. The Jaguars’ records dropped to 1-2 and 3-3.
Centennial will travel to Waukee on Friday for another conference game against the Warriors (3-2).