LAKE FOREST – Three of the eight postseason contests this season for El Toro’s boys soccer team have been decided on penalty kicks, with the Chargers winning all three.
The latest came in a CIF Southern California Division I Regional semifinal on Thursday at El Toro High.
After playing to a scoreless tie with Edison through 80 regulation minutes and a 15-minute overtime period, El Toro won, 5-4, on penalty kicks.
El Toro (17-10), the No. 4 seed, will host No. 6 Paramount in the final on Saturday. Paramount knocked off No. 2 seed Granada Hills in penalty kicks Thursday.
Paramount and El Toro will be playing for the third time this season.
The Pirates defeated the Chargers, 3-1, on Jan. 4 at Paramount, and El Toro won, 1-0, in the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals on Feb. 28.
After losing seven consecutive matches earlier this season, El Toro has won 12 of its past 14.
“They’re just believing in themselves,” El Toro coach Carlos Barrios said. “They’re grinding it out.”
Thursday’s match was defined by missed opportunities and outstanding defense, especially on corner kicks, where neither team really came close to scoring.
Most of the action during the first half was on the Edison side of the field.
Four minutes into the match, El Toro had the first chance to score when Jonathan Bryant rifled a shot from just beyond the 18-yard box that sailed about 2 feet over the goal.
Thirty-two minutes into the contest, El Toro came close again when a high-arcing header from Elijah Amadin, set up on a corner kick from Evan Gonzalez, went just over the goal.
Edison (21-6-1) had its best chance five minutes later on Dom Bair’s kick from about 20 yards out, but El Toro goal keeper Mac Hutchins had plenty of time to dive to his right to make the save.
Both teams had similar opportunities in the second half and in the overtime period.
