Unbeaten Heat continue winning

By NINO CARDENAS, LAREDO MORNING TIMES
06/11/2006
The Laredo Heat’s sole focus Saturday night was taking care of the El Paso Patriots at the Student Activity Complex.With a pair of goals from the Monterrey connection of Hector “La Gota” Vallejo and Juan de Dios Ibarra Laredo defeated the Pats 2-1 in front of 712 fans.

Laredo improves it Premier Development League record to 7-0 further distancing themselves in the Mid-South Division with 21 points.

Laredo takes a break from PDL action when it plays the Roma FC Wednesday night at the SAC in its debut in the much coveted Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

“We had an extraordinary first half and a not so good second half. The team fought to the end. I hope the people of Laredo get to see just how good of a team we have here,” head coach Israel Collazo said.

With the wind on their backs Laredo outshot El Paso 8-3 in the first half. El Paso edged out Laredo 6-5 in the second.

Jesus Sanchez nearly put the Heat on top in the 5th minute, when his 20-yard strike ricocheted off the top crossbar.

Ibarra though made sure Laredo got the lead in the 13th minute with a 24-yard direct kick that surprised El Paso goalie Jorge Muniz.

Ibarra’s shot landed behind the wall of Heat and El Paso players in front of Muniz’s goal posts. The ball trickled out of reach of Muniz’s hands and into the back left corner of the net.

Vallejo capped the Heat scoring in the 28th minute. He received a Steve Su pass and edged the ball underneath the left side top crossbar.

In the second El Paso showed signs of life when it broke through the Heat defense and scored in the 64th minute.

Anuar Gomez kicked the ball from the top of the box into the far post to cut the lead in half.

Collazo made sure Laredo kept the lead by subbing in regular starters Jake Downs and Jacob Almack late in the second. ©Laredo Morning Times 2006