What appeared to be a promising start to the season has taken a turn in a different direction.
San Diego Boca FC started the 2011 National Premier Soccer League season winning their first two matches, both at home.
Coach Eliseo "Papo" Santos' team beat Real San Jose and FC Hasental in close matches. Both wins were by a goal.
The last win came April 9.
Boca FC (2-3) has since lost three straight games heading into Friday's match against Bay Area Ambassadors FC at Balboa Stadium.
The last two losses came after Boca FC gave up a late goal in both games, sending the team third place in the Southwest division standings behind expansion club Santa Ana Winds FC and first-place club the San Diego Flash.
It was the Flash that handed Boca FC its first loss of the season April 17 in what was deemed the "Real San Diego Clasico."
The Flash remains unbeaten (5-0) and leads the standings with 15 points. The Flash joined the league this season after a long-term hiatus from official competition. Boca FC is in its second season.
And this season is not going the way Santos expected.
He was hoping to build on last year after his team reached the playoffs.
If Boca FC wants to reach the post-season in 2011, it must win and do it quickly against the teams it is favored against.
And this week could be the right week to get back on track.
The Bay Area Ambassadors are winless. They sit in last place in the Northwest division standings. The Ambassadors (0-4-1) have been outscored 4 to 14 this season. But don't expect Boca FC to look past the team from Northern California.
"We cannot underestimate the Bay Area Ambassadors," said Santos. "They want a win just as badly as we do and you have to be careful against a team that is backed into a corner as they are. Our side has no excuses for our recent losses and we will do what is necessary to win this game and get back on the winning track."
To get back on track, Boca FC signed a handful of players earlier this week.
Santos will have defenders Sergio Bojorquez and Jose Coronado, midfielders Abiel Coronado and Francisco Diaz. All four players trained with the team throughout the week. They are all from San Diego and appear to have enough experience to get on the pitch as soon as this Saturday. Santos is also expected to make a few adjustments to the team's formation to try and rejuvenate it attack.
"Not only are we adding talent to our roster, but we are happy to continue promoting local San Diego talent as well," Santos said. "Our roster losses during the off-season hurt us but now with new talented blood, we will see a San Diego Boca FC side that can start making its move. We have worked hard all year but we needed to add a few players to tighten the screws and make us stronger as the league is tougher each year. I feel we have now found those players."
Midfielders Amir Vafaee and Arsim "Messi" Mustafa, who is coming off an injury, are also expected to be available soon.
Santos said his team lost plenty of firepower after it lost a handful of players that were key to the team's success last season.
Midfielder Dan Antoniuk left to play in the North American Soccer League (NASL) with FC Edmonton and Abraham Gomez to the Premier Developmental League (PDL) in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) with the Thunder Bay.
"These are two players we miss but we have added some nice talent during the off season to compensate, including the signing of forward Juan Manuel Perez, who has previously played with us before leaving and coming back after playing pro in Hungary," Santos said.
"It's a long season. We have to be competitive and most importantly, play a good brand of futbol."
It perhaps has to start this week if Boca FC wants to turn its season into the direction it wants.
ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
