The Penticton Tim Hortons Pinnacles have yet to score in three Pacific Coast Soccer League matches.
That isn’t a concern for assistant coach Manuel Borba, who works with coach Cesar Ceppi. The Pinnacles have allowed 16 goals, nine of which came in a shutout loss on May 28 to the Vancouver Thunderbirds, who come to Kings Park on Saturday for a rematch at 7 p.m.
“We have to stop that. We have guys who can score,” said Borba, naming UVic midfielders Xavier Araujo and Isaac Koch.
In 16 games for the Vikes, Koch, a West Kelowna product, scored twice. Araujo, a Penticton product, completed his first season playing four games.
Borba talked about slowing down the opposition and building up from that.
“We’re a young team and you get behind by three or four goals real quick, you’re confidence goes and we try to prepare for that but didn’t do a very good job,” said Borba. “Hopefully we will be ready for this weekend.
“If people come out this weekend, UBC is one of the best programs in the country,” continued Borba. “It will be a very good game for people to watch. Hopefully we will be competitive.”
Borba added they are not basing their play in the Premier Division on wins and losses. It’s how they improve until the end of the season. The Pinnacles are fielding a young squad with up to seven under-18 players. A handful of locals who play at the university levels are not available as their programs don’t want them playing during the off season.
Borba said playing in the Premier Division is a big step for the younger players.
“The home game they did well here,” said Borba, a 2-0 loss to the Mid Isle Mariners. “The game against UBC, we tried to prepare them for the competition but sometimes you have to be on the field and realize how good it is before you can react to it. Beating teams at this level is pretty hard when we’re so young.”
While the Pinnacles roster is pretty much set, Borba said they are hoping to get Bjorn Borren back soon. Borren is playing for the Thompson Okanagan Football Club in the EA Sports B.C. Soccer Premier League. Adding him to the roster would be a big help, said Borba.