MANHATTAN BEACH — Sometimes in soccer, a scoreless draw is good enough and that was the case for Mira Costa boys team Friday night.
The Mustangs entered Friday’s second leg of their CIF-Southern Section Open Division quarterfinal series with a one-goal lead against Aliso Niguel.
Despite several good offensive chances, the Mustangs (23-1-4) were unable to score, but their defensive work rate also kept the Wolverines off of the scoreboard.
The scoreless final was enough to get Mira Costa through into next week’s semifinal series against top-seeded Arlington.
Mira Costa will host Arlington Tuesday and the series shifts to Riverside Friday.
“We fell back on what we’ve trusted all year, which was our defense,” Mira Costa midfielder Grant Gilmer said. “Obviously, losing Marco (Bottene) for the first half was big, we had a lot of guys who weren’t 100 percent, but being able to fall back on our back four, really sealed it. That’s what we’ve been going with all year.”
In the new format for the Open Division, the eight teams played home-and-home series in the quarterfinal round. Tuesday, Mira Costa defeated Aliso Niguel 1-0 on a Bottene goal.
Friday, Bottene was limited due to an ankle injury suffered in that game and didn’t play until the second half.
The Mustangs created the more dangerous chances in the first half and in the second half were close on an Ace Tendale header that hit the crossbar and had a couple of opportunities that were fired high or wide.
As the game remained scoreless, that kept Aliso Niguel alive, needing just one goal to force the game into overtime. The Wolverines continued to press for the equalizer, but the Mustangs, anchored in defense by goalkeeper Evan Hansen, remained strong.
“Quality over 160 minutes …that’s a good team,” Mira Costa coach Al Brown said. “I think we’re a better team, more organized, more individual skill, but also just more cohesiveness …everything (Friday) but the goal. If we put one away, that game is such a different game.
“It’s a strange psychologically, because our guys know we don’t need to score, it’s just helps if we do it. It was a weird sense of push as hard as you can, but also make sure you’re not risking (things) in the back.
It took several bodies on the defensive back line to preserve the shutout. Josh Lowenberg, Sean Gauer started at outside backs. Ian Rodriguez and Carson Steinbacher were in the center. Mateo Crisera and Trent Zimmerman also had time there. Hansen recorded five saves in goal.
“Proud of the way this group galvanized, even though they were bruised and battered,” Brown said.
In other playoff action
REDONDO 7, SAN GORGONIO 1: Owen Hancock scored a pair of goals to lead the Sea Hawks to second-round win in Division 2.
Finn Ailiff, Isaac Barajas, Daniel Bueno, Nick McGee and Gavin Hancock also scored.
Redondo will visit Foothill in Tuesday’s quarterfinals.
CANYON 1, PALOS VERDES 0: The Comanches scored a second-half goal to defeat the host Sea Kings in Division 1.
CROSSROADS 2, SOUTH TORRANCE 1: The Spartans suffered their first loss of the season, falling in the Division 1 match.