By Dan Minkoff
March 15, 2025
THERMAL, Calif. — Long Beach FC’s hot start to the UPSL Premier season continued thanks to goals from Michael Mckibbin, Michele Somenzi and Lucas Gonzalez, who added two assists to help lead a 3-2 comeback win over Chiriaco FC at Belk Farms soccer field.
It was a long road trip out to the Coachella Valley for Long Beach, which adjusted to the small field and improved to 3-0 with 9 points. The team now sits alone in first place atop the 13-team SoCal North conference.
“The travel conditions weren’t ideal, traveling two-plus hours, but the team did really good adapting, playing well together, fighting through adversity and we were able to come out with the win,” said Gonzalez. “Very proud of the boys, very happy to be part of the team and now we move forward.”
While Chiriaco FC’s roster has changed some since it won the UPSL the national championship following the 2023 Fall season, it still features plenty of quality. They controlled possession for most of the game, with a 56% to 44% advantage, outshot Long Beach, 15-12, and held a 7-2 edge in corners. Long Beach, however, generated better scoring opportunities with eight shots on goal to Chiriaco’s seven, and that proved to be the difference.
Adrian Meade-Tatum converted a penalty kick in the 23rd minute to open the scoring for Chiriaco. Just two minutes later, Gonzalez intercepted a pass about 35 yards from goal and fed Somenzi, who converted his team-leading fourth goal to tie the game.
Although Chiriaco took advantage of a defensive mistake three minutes into the second half and added a second goal, halftime center back substitute Cesar Tapia helped add defensive stability for Long Beach while second-half sub Sebastian Rus helped the team secure more control in the midfield. The game became more even in terms of possession after that while Long Beach gained an edge in scoring chances.
Long Beach’s pressure paid off in the 69th minute when Gonzalez drew a penalty and scored the ensuing penalty kick to tie the game, 2-2. Long Beach completed the comeback in the 88th minute when Gonzalez picked up a poor Chiriaco clearance and gave a perfectly weighted pass to Mckibbin streaking in from the right side. He ran past the defense and finished into the far net for the game-winner.
“It was great to get a win on the road, especially against the 2023 national champions,” said Long Beach FC coach Art Caballero. “The culture that we are trying to create here is to play as a team and for each other. Everyone is understanding their roles and responsibilities and each game I am seeing them executing and showcasing what our game model looks like. I’m excited to keep growing as a team.”
LBFC looks to extend its perfect start when it returns home to take on Apple Valley Storm at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 22 at Cabrillo High School Jaguar Stadium. Tickets for all home games, including a season Shorepass can be purchased online or at the gate. You can also watch the game live on the team's YouTube channel.
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