Josh Gallagher helps Loyola return Cathedral in boys soccer

Josh Gallagher seems to have a little extra adrenaline going into the game against Cathedral.

After scoring both of his team’s goals in Loyola’s triumph over its inner-city rival last season, the senior captain tallied his team’s first goal Tuesday night and helped the Cubs withstand a lot of pressure in the closing moments of a 2-1 victory in the latest edition of the soccer game dubbed the “Downtown World Cup.”

“Just like last year … the keeper didn’t come off his line and I came back with him,” Gallagher said, describing his free-kick header just seven minutes into the game. “We’re not that experienced, but we have a lot of depth. It’s long.” and in a short season. I don’t want to miss a game.”

Gallagher scored in each of Loyola’s first three games.

Kian Benitez doubled Loyola’s lead with less than six minutes left in the first half when he finished off a nifty feed from fellow junior King Aberman in the box.

“I touched the defender and put it past the goalkeeper,” Benitez said of his first college goal. “It feels surreal … right moment, right time. I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity they put me in there. It was a really big game and we hung on.”

Loyola graduated 14 players from last year’s veteran squad that lost to JSerra in the Southern Open Division final and a week later in the Southern California regional final.

“I can already see that this team has a lot of heart, from the starters to the bench,” added Benitez.

Goalkeeper Joseph Piscatella made several spot-kick saves to keep his team on top. The Cubs (2-0-1) have won back-to-back games after eight losses and two ties in the schools’ previous 10 regular-season meetings.

The visiting Phantoms (0-2) cut their deficit in half in the 44th minute when senior midfielder Hector Gutierrez curled his direct free kick from 30 yards off the far post and past a leaping Piscatello.

Loyola is chasing its sixth sectional title, having won four (2005, 2007, 2014, 2016) since coach Chris Walter took over the program 25 years ago.

Cathedral won back-to-back Southern Section titles in 2014 and 2015 under Arturo Lopez and defeated Loyola 4-1 in the 2020 Southern California Division I Regional final.