LYNN — The Lynn Classical boys soccer team got off to a rough start Tuesday night and could never fully recover in a 4-1 loss to Greater Boston League foe Everett at Manning Field.
A young Classical team was at full strength for the first time since starting the season last week and the chemistry just wasn’t where coach Eric Moreno Jr. and the Rams hoped.
“We have one senior in the starting 11 so we have that in the back of our heads,” Moreno said. “But we’re all full force now for the first time. This was our first game of the season for me because we had five new players (coming back) who were inserted into the team. The chemistry needs to come.”
Tuesday’s loss was a tale of two halves for Classical. The Rams allowed a few early goals and were down, 3-0, before the halftime whistle blew. The second half was a different story with the Rams allowing just one goal on a free kick from the top of the box.
Gabriel Sarmento broke the shutout with less than two minutes left in the game on a penalty kick.
“That first half, we were lost,” Moreno said. “In the second half we dominated. We did great and gave up a set piece. We’re just going to build off of that second half and it’s going to be baby steps. This year is the pandemic year so it’s going to be one of those seasons that you have to get your foot in, do the best you can and set yourself up to make a run in (the GBL tournament) if you can.”
Everett was all over Classical to start the game, leaving no room for error. But when the Rams faltered, Everett’s Gui Meireles was there to capitalize. The Crimson Tide forward stole a ball in the Classical box and beat Classical goalkeeper Isaiah Diaz to start the scoring.
Less than 10 minutes later Meireles brought the pressure again and slipped a left side shot past Diaz to stretch the lead to 2-0.
Classical returned with one of its best chances of the night, a hard point-blank shot by Kevin Rubio Medrano that was driven right into the Everett goalkeeper’s chest for a save midway through the first half.
A few minutes later Gui Moraes added to the scoresheet for Everett and the Crimson Tide rode a 3-0 lead into the second half.
The Rams breathed some new life into their game in the second half, moving the ball around well and getting some nice looks, but couldn’t come away with anything to show for it.
A free kick from Classical’s leading scorer, Elzon Halimi, sailed high while another from Jair Alvarez’s chance on another set piece missed the net to the right.
A few minutes later, Ricardo DoCarmo made the most of his free kick chance at the top of the box to put Everett ahead, 4-0.
Sarmento finally got the Rams on the board with his penalty kick but it was too late for the Rams to get any momentum going.
It’s been a less than ideal start for the Rams (1-4) who fall to 0-4 in GBL play, but Moreno believes their best ball is ahead of them. Classical hosts Malden Thursday (5).
“I feel like we can 100 percent be better,” Moreno said. “We’re going to build on the second half. There was a bit of a disconnect between the system and the players in the first half. Once we waived that and figured it out, the second half was different. It was a miscommunication but we’ll see how that turns out on Thursday.”