Drew Hamers staked the Dos Pueblos to a 1-0 lead in the first half, but Oxnard came back in the second for a 3-1 Channel League win Thursday.
“Oxnard is a talented team with tremendous speed on the edges, and the second half they were able to break down our defense and hit some beautiful passes to the middle of the box that they finished with confidence and ease,” Charger coach Matt York said.
York was pleased with players who stepped up and “we were really pleased with the effort of those players healthy enough to be out there tonight.”
The man of the match was Hamers, “who seemingly was everywhere.”
“He took advantage of some sloppy decisions on their back line, and when he had the ball beat their keeper with the defense closing around him” to score the Chargers’ only goal.”
The match was tied 1-1 at the half.
“He was also tremendous for us winning 50.50 balls and showed tremendous heart and grit playing all over the field,” York said. “Had we been able to clone him and his effort out there, we would’ve won this game by a wide margin.
Another leader was Mateo Robledo, playing the defensive center mid-position, and “did a tremendous job holding off their threat from the middle. Ethan Foong played with his usual confidence and sturdy backline play.”
The Chargers, 1-2 in league play and 1-3 overall, host Pacifica Saturday, starting at 9 p.m.