Grados’ Late Penalty Lifts Warriors Past Glendale

TORRANCE, Calif. – In a game that featured three goals scored solely on penalty kicks, it was El Camino College's fortune to record the final goal in the final minute to score a 2-1 victory over visiting Glendale Friday afternoon at the ECC Soccer Field.

The Warriors (3-0-1) were awarded a penalty kick in the 90th minute and sophomore Eduardo Grados cashed it in past goalkeeper Kevin Portillo to give the Warriors the 2-1 victory. It was Grados' second goal of the season, both coming on penalty kicks.

The Warriors led 1-0 at the half after the Vaqueros were whistled for a foul inside the box in the 35th minute as Jordan Lopez-Perez was taken down. The freshman would take the kick himself and tuck it right down the middle as Portillo guessed right, giving the Warriors the first score of the game.

Early in the second half, the Vaqueros got the equalizer as the Warriors were whistled for a foul inside the box. Kai Saito beat Luis Garibay to knot things up at 1-1. The goal snapped Garibay's shutout streak at 319:37 to start the season.

Both teams combined for 11 shots in the second half but only three of those found their mark including the two penalty kicks.

But the Warriors pressure broke through late as Cristo Deras took a beautiful pass from Larry Lopez and knifed through the right side of the 18-yard box. Portillo dove at the ball but clipped Deras feet and took out the Warriors forward, drawing a call from the referee.

Grados then got the call in the biggest spot for ECC and he delivered, beating the goalkeeper to the left side to give the Warriors their third victory in four matches and stay undefeated on the season.

The Warriors will return to action Tuesday afternoon as they end their three-game homestand with a match against Norco. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.