Soccer Game Preview: Avenal vs. Coalinga

The Avenal Buccaneers will venture away from home to face off against the Coalinga Horned Toads at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Avenal's offense has struggled lately (the team hasn't scored more than a single goal for three straight games), a trend the team is no doubt ready to end.

Avenal is likely headed into the match with a focus on the second half, which is when things went downhill against Dos Palos on Tuesday. Avenal fell just short of Dos Palos by a score of 1-0. That's two games in a row now that the Buccaneers have lost by just one goal.

Meanwhile, after soaring to four goals the game before, Coalinga was a bit more limited in their contest on Friday. They lost 4-0 to Dos Palos. The game was a close 1-0 at the break, but unfortunately for the Horned Toads it sure didn't stay that way.

Coalinga dropped their record down to 10-10-3 with the defeat, which was their fifth straight on the road. As for Avenal, their loss ended a nine-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 15-5-4.

Avenal beat Coalinga by a goal in their previous meeting two weeks ago, winning 3-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for Avenal since the squad won't have the home-pitch advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.