Rebels Postgame vs Reyes FC
22.04.2021
Rebels kicked off its second UPSL season with an away game just like in fall 2019. However,
unlike that game, Rebels ended this one as the winning side. Despite starting without team
captain Arturo Hoyos and 2019’s team leader in offensive production, Pablo Vazquez, Rebels
used a goal at the end of either half to claim a narrow 2-1 victory. Lloyd Alexander scored in the
44th minute to give Rebels the lead going into the halftime interval while Erick Gonzalez
produced a moment of skill inside the box to score the game-winner in the 85th minute.
OPENING DAY RECORD
With the win over Reyes FC, Rebels improved to 1-1-0 in season openers and away openers in
UPSL.
Rebels lost 3-2 to San Diego International in the first UPSL game in club history in fall 2019.
ROAD TO RECOVERY
Team captain Arturo Hoyos was questionable to play versus Reyes due to a back injury but
recovered to play the full second half. Head coach Matt Emmert decided to hold off on starting
him, hoping that he could have a bigger impact later in the game. That decision paid off as
Hoyos remained calm and drew the defense’s attention before sliding a pass into space in the
lead up to Erick Gonzalez’ game winner.
Last season’s captain and main offensive force, Pablo Vazquez, came into the game in the 65th
minute as he regains form and fitness. The former Real Madrid U17 and San Diego State
midfielder immediately showed his ability on the ball, linking up with teammates and finding
attackers in behind the defense. He nearly added an opening day goal when a curled shot from
the edge of the box narrowly went wide of the far post.
NEW SEASON, NEW FACES
A new season means new players throughout the squad, several of whom contributed to the
win. Most notably is former Getafe U19 attacker David Achaerandio. The Madrid, Spain native
scored 15 goals in 15 starts for Point Loma Nazarene in the fall 2019 season while being
named the school’s Male Athlete of the Year. This is in addition to winning the 2017 NCAA
Division II national championship with University of Charleston (West Virginia) and the 2019
USL 2 national championship with Flint City Bucks (Michigan). Achaerandio contributed 87
minutes in the victory, playing the key pass to set up Vincent Acevedo’s assist to Lloyd
Alexander on the first goal and nearly getting on the scoresheet more than once himself. He will
certainly be a huge asset to the team this fall UPSL season.
With starting goalkeeper Oscar Brambila suffering a broken ankle in US Open Cup qualifying in
2019 and backup Ismael Solis moving to Los Angeles for school, Rebels were in need of a
starting goalkeeper. Enter Nathanael Linquist. The San Jose-born, Uganda-raised keeper
began playing with the team in Eastlake Cup, where he posted an impressive 0.50 goals-against average over the twelve-game season. The former Azusa Pacific standout held Reyes
scoreless for 75 minutes before conceding one to a perfectly executed header direct from the
corner kick.
Beyond Linquist and Achaerandio, Rebels have also picked up several players who were not
on the fall 2019 UPSL roster, many of whom played at local high schools: Alex Acevedo
(Hilltop), Abdi Farah (Hoover), Carlos Sanchez (Helix), Fredy Cedilla (Poway), Julio Arreola
(Chula Vista), Kyle Diaz (San Diego), Luis Sanchez (Mater Dei), Marco Gutierrez (Bonita Vista),
Marco Sanchez (Mater Dei), and Omar Omar (Crawford).
From outside San Diego county, the team has added Danny Madrigal, from Arizona.
Alec Bowman and Matt Mitchell are also new additions, both recently moving to San Diego
from northern California.
FAMILIAR FACES
Several players from the fall 2019 UPSL playoff team return to improve on that season’s 2-1
extra-time loss to the undefeated White Tigers. This includes goalkeeper Oscar Brambila;
defenders Vincent Acevedo, Carlos Calderon, Edwing Zambrano, and Lloyd Alexander;
midfielders Arturo Hoyos, Danny Torre, Emmett Basaca, Erick Gonzalez, Leonel Ibarra, and
Pablo Vazquez; attacker Jozabed Ramirez.
Source: Rebels SC Staff
