ADC coasts to 4-1 win over Tabore behind 2 early goals from Hernandez

In its first action in two weeks, ADC’s U16 squad improved to 3-0-0 in a 4-1 victory over Tabore. Winger Samuel Hernandez scored two goals in the first 10 minutes in the rout, and the ADC defense held Tabore to limited chances throughout the contest.

“I think the team, along with the last game, understood that opportunities are created and we had to be more decisive, and so the team performed very well overall,” head coach Andres Madrid said.

After a physical start to the contest from both sides, the first blood was drawn in the 9th minute.  Midfielder Carlos White gained control of the ball, he played a ball forward to right winger Carlos Bravo. Surveying the pitch, Bravo delivered a bullet across the middle to a waiting Hernandez. From there, it was easy. Hernandez tapped in the goal with a team silencer celebration to boot as Curundu took an early lead. 

Before Tabore could take a breath, Hernandez had found the back of the net again. Two minutes after his first goal, White again initiated the offensive push, with a through ball eventually finding the winger for another tally and a 2-0 ADC lead. 

“Lively, pretty, wonderful, beautiful, everything,” Hernandez said about his early output.

With its back now against the wall early, Tabore immediately started making more noise on the offensive end. Finding more success in the midfield was key; White’s passing lanes began tightening as Tabore played cleaner as a whole. Around the 16th minute, it had its first real chance at a goal, but Jose Angel Almanza was able to track down an attacker and end the threat.

The remainder of the half was characterized by ADC narrowly missing on several impact plays. In the 16th minute, Hernandez seemed primed to secure a first-half hat trick, but his shot ended up just outside the right post as Tabore regained possession. Miguel Paz picked up a yellow card defending in the 17th minute, and ADC avoided an easy goal due to an offsides call on Tabore. 

A missed White penalty kick — most spectators and White himself thought he had made it before it was ruled a non-goal — summed up the mid-half struggles, and the 23rd minute made them feel even more dangerous. After a deflection from Abdiel Mosquera saved a goal, the rebound bounced out perfectly to a waiting Tabore attacker, who lofted the ball in for a goal. 

By the time the halftime whistle blew, ADC had lost the momentum and a goal off its lead. The message at halftime from Madrid? Clean up the small mistakes, and you will coast the rest of the game.

Madrid was exactly right, as the second half was all ADC. The Bravo-Hernandez connection struck once again early in the half, as a pass from Hernandez found a streaking Bravo down the right side. With virtually no angle at the goal, Bravo decided to strike from outside the box. Seconds later, ADC had a 3-1 lead and audible gasps from the crowd as Bravo extended the lead on a highlight play.

The rest of the game largely was about ADC maintaining possession of the ball. Tabore had limited chances due to an effort led by defenseman Jose Carrasquilla, and the offense was able to tread water despite Hernandez and Bravo exiting the game.

“The dedication and commitment of everyone was great, especially the defensive team. Despite conceding a goal, they never let their heads down,” Madrid said.

In fact, they were able to find a final goal. Angel Ruiz and Randy Rios worked an excellent two-man game up top facilitated by White in the midfield, and Rios was able to find the net midway through the half for the final score. 

"We need to practice a little more but I think we are doing well", Hernandez said of the offense.