The opening leg of the Rosewood Wealth Management Cup was a predictably tight affair between Cedar Ridge and Orange on Monday night at Orange Soccer Field. Following a scoreless first half, Orange scored both of its goals off penalty kicks to defeat the Red Wolves 2-0. Senior Yurem Tapia Mendez, the top scorer from Orange’s 2024 team, scored the game-winning goal off a penalty kick in the 43rd minute. John Gomez Tercero was fouled on a possession that started with a drop kick from goalkeeper Hector Garrido. Gomez won the ball off a second bounce and played it to Ajali Carter. On a give-and-go, Carter found Gomez, who was tripped up in the box. Mendez scored his second goal of the season on the subsequent penalty. Later, Mendez was fouled in the box to set up the second Orange penalty. Mendez would also convert that himself. Orange senior co-Captain Dallas Johnson had a busy night trying to win 50-50 balls against a spirited effort from the Red Wolves. The Rosewood Wealth Management Cup will go to the team that has the most goals at the end of the second matchup between the Red Wolves and the Panthers on October 8. Orange will go into the 2nd game with a 2-0 lead in the aggregate goals competition based off of Monday night’s result.
