SPRINGDALE — Springdale Har-Ber used a second-half comeback Friday to remain undefeated in 7A/6A-West Conference boys soccer play.
Enrique Rojo and Cristian Carrillo scored in the second half to lift Har-Ber to a 2-1 victory over Fayetteville at Jarrell Williams Bulldog Stadium. The Wildcats (8-7-1, 5-0) fi nally put together some offense after trailing on 1-0 at halftime on a goal by Foster Johnson.
“It was a good effort for us to come back after being down 1-0,” Har-Ber coach Nelson Medina said. “Once we got down, we went with three forwards and it paid off for us.”
Rojo tied the game for Har-Ber when he scored a goal on a sharp right angle with 14 minutes, 28 seconds left in the game. The game remained a standstill until Har-Ber was awarded a free kick after the Fayetteville goalie handled the ball with his hands while way away from the net.
Har-Ber then took advantage when Carrillo got the rebound and scored past Colton Farley with 10:46 left in the game.
“Cristian won that ball then he swatted it,” Medina said. “That gave us the lead after Rojo put us back in the game with his left-footed ripper in the side corner.”
Fayetteville had some late chances but the Bulldogs could not get one past Har-Ber goal keeper Dan Hartigan. Ben O’Brien tended goal in the fi rst half for Har-Ber, which had posted consecutive shutouts over Van Buren (6-0) and Siloam Springs (2-0) entering Friday’s game.
“We got tired a little bit in the second half, but we didn’t do anything diff erent,” Fayetteville coach Steve Oliver said. “They were a little fortunate to get the free kick, but that’s soccer.”
Johnson put Fayetteville ahead 1-0 on a play that began near midfield after a block by a Fayetteville defender. Johnson gained control and moved to the center of the field in a three-on-situation with the Har-Ber defense. Johnson, who had teammates on either side of him, took the shot from about 20 yards and put the ball in the left corner of the net ahead of a diving Ben O’Brien, the Har-Ber goalie.
Fayetteville 1 0 — 1 Springdale Har-Ber 0 2 — 2 FIRST HALF
Fay — Johnson, 24:02
SECOND HALF
Harb — Rojo, 28:14
Harb — Carrillo, 10:46