By Adam Martini
The first time the Bayside boys’ soccer team clashed with the neighborhood rival Cardozo, it was for respect and bragging rights. The rematch Monday was for first place in the Queens A East division.
The Commodores remained undefeated and on top of the division with a sound 3-0 victory. It was a competitive game until a controversial play midway through the second half opened the door for Bayside.
Midfielder David Salazar returned to the lineup from injury to score the game’s first and eventual game-winning goal. He outraced Cardozo goalkeeper Daniel Adler to the ball and used nifty footwork to dribble around him and hit the back of the net minutes into the second half.
Shortly after the goal, Cardozo captain Zaid Zureikut was issued a red card and ejected from the game for directing an obscene gesture at referee Alan Wharton. While pressing the referee for an explanation, Cardozo coach Rich Parascos was issued his second yellow card of the game and ejected as well.
Zaid denied any actions that would warrant an immediate ejection, but Wharton confirmed the removal was for the gesture. Wharton, the head of soccer officials for the league, indicated Zaid’s ejection includes a one-game suspension.
“I was surprised to get ejected,” Zaid said. “I didn’t do what [Wharton] said I did. He ignored me earlier in the game when I asked him about an offside call. Maybe that had something to do with it — I don’t know.”
“I really didn’t see what happened, that’s why I questioned it,” Parascos said. “He probably felt I was too persistent in criticizing him today. I felt like we were getting the short end of the calls today.”
With Cardozo down a coach and a player, Bayside (6-0-1) quickly seized control of the game with goals by Arturo Lanuza and Sam Yoon. Lanuza took a lead pass from Emre Aksu and slid the ball past Adler from 20 yards out in the 70th minute. Lanuza followed up his goal with an assist on Sam Yoon’s blast into the right corner from the top of the box minutes later.
Adler bailed his defense out with a couple of sparkling saves in each half before yielding three goals. The Judges’ defensive effort was an improvement from the first meeting between the teams, but not good enough to hold off Bayside’s second half surge.
“Our team is where it is right now because of defense,” said Bayside head coach Joe Corrado said. “The guys that score the goals usually get the credit, but our defense creates a lot of scoring opportunities.”
Jeremy O’Brien, Andrew Colucci, Cliff Velasquez, Jason Knese and substitute Paul Park comprise the defensive unit that has elevated Bayside to the top of Queens A East. With Neal Kitson protecting the goal, Bayside has now shutout Cardozo (5-2) twice this season.
“I felt we were slow to the ball,” Parascos said. “We had our chances in the box, but just didn’t convert.”
The Judges controlled most of the game’s first 15 minutes, creating three corner kick opportunities. The Commodores had several chances around the goal during the later portion of the first. Two shots by Salazar missed the goal by a few feet, one wide left and the other over the top crossbar.
Adler smothered a scoring chance by Yoon set up by Salazar before halftime.
Boys and girls volleyball coach Daniel Scarola took over coaching duties after Parascos was ejected. Parascos was tagged with his first yellow card for disputing calls in the first half.
Newcomers 4, Long Island City 1. Johnny Vargas netted two goals and Joao Jones and Daniel Barci each added a goal for Newcomers (6-1 Queens A West).
Van Buren 1, Robert F. Wagner 1. Kahmerl Garcia tied the game for Van Buren (1-1-3 Queens B South) in the 50th minute, while keeper Alfredo Ponte had 12 saves to preserve the tie.
Edison 6, Beach Channel 2. Noe Canales netted a hat trick to lead the Inventors (5-0-1 Queens B North).
Townsend Harris 1, Richmond Hill 0. Keeper Nick Kaloudis scored the game-winner, his first of the year, on a free kick to lead Townsend Harris (4-3 Queens B North).
Hillcrest 2, Campus Magnet 0. Demetre Vernon and Mendel Barnes scored one goal apiece for Hillcrest (4-2 Queens B South).
John Bowne 2, Flushing 2. Johnny Osorio scored twice and Alessandro Vellone had 10 saves to lead Bowne (1-3-2 Queens A East). Han Soo Jun’s second goal of the game in the 52nd minute tied it for Flushing (2-1-3 Queens A East).
Cardozo 4, Forest Hills 0. Ahmed Assan scored twice and Freddie Hernandez and Zureikut added one apiece for the Judges.
Bayside 4, Franklin K. Lane 1. Aksu’s two goals paced the Commodores.
Campus Magnet 2, Beach Channel 1. Keon Bubb netted the game-winner in the 77th minute for the Bulldogs.
Far Rockaway 3, Van Buren 2. Val Torey’s second goal of the game broke a 2-2 tie in the 30th minute for Far Rock (3-1 Queens B South).
Newtown 1, Newcomers 0. In his first start of the season, sophomore David Pancharo scored the lone goal with 16 minutes left in the second half as Newtown (5-0-1) took over sole possession of first place in Queens A West.
Townsend Harris 1, Arts & Business 0. Ian Pogue-Mohammed scored off an assist from John Tatti five minutes into the game and Kaloudis made 16 saves for the Hawks.
—Dylan Butler contributed to this story
Reach contributing writer Adam Martini by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 130.
