By CHRISTINA GAGNE
BURLINGTON — Coming off a solid, 3-3 draw against perennially tough Division 1 Belmont on Monday, the Wakefield boys’ soccer team looked sharp in their latest outing against Burlington on Wednesday, walking off with a decisive 3-0 victory.
The Warriors wasted no time asserting themselves. Just three minutes into the match, forward Robbie Estrada nodded a header into the path of striker Mhamed Boukataya, who calmly slotted the ball past the Burlington goalkeeper to give Wakefield the early 1-0 lead.
Wakefield continued to dictate the tempo, dominating possession in the attacking third. Alex De Morais impressed with a dazzling solo run, weaving through multiple defenders before forcing a quality save from the Burlington keeper.
Throughout the first 40 minutes, Wakefield peppered the Burlington goal with chances. Midfielders Ben Marceau and Guy Revah distributed the ball with precision and maintained control in the center. Aodhan Hagan came close with several powerful strikes from distance, narrowly missing the target. Danny Kidder also made his mark with a surging run down the right wing, earning a corner after a deflected cross.
Wakefield doubled its lead shortly before halftime. Following a scramble in the box, Hagan pounced on a loose ball and fired home a shot from 10 yards out, making it 2-0.
Burlington mounted a brief push late in the first half, but the Warriors’ back line, anchored by senior captains Aidan Bligh and Nik Dhingra, stood firm. Goalkeeper Patrick Leary was rock-solid between the posts, turning away multiple shots, including a threatening free kick. Defender Aden Stevenson was instrumental in cutting off Burlington’s passing lanes, regularly stepping up to intercept and initiate counters.
In the second half, the Warriors picked up right where they left off, expertly passing the ball and moving confidently up the field. One of De Morais’ well-placed corner kicks resulted in the final goal, upping the tally to 3-0. Hagan rose above the defense to meet the ball with a powerful header, and Boukataya was once again in the right place at the right time to tap in the rebound.
Contributions were made by so many Warriors in this matchup. Ryan Millward nearly added to the tally with a header that forced a quick reaction from the Burlington keeper, while Isaac Melo rattled the post with a shot from just outside the box.
The Warriors celebrated the return of center mid, Jude Wild, making his season debut after recovering from injury. Wild immediately brought his signature gritty play to the midfield, breaking up plays and injecting energy into the squad.
With key players returning to the lineup from injury soon, and the team already firing on all cylinders, the Warriors look to reassert themselves as the team to beat in the league and the division.
Experienced defender, Aden Stevenson, said, “Having confidence in our ability and playing a consistent 80 minutes without a dip in energy and intensity was what allowed us to get the win.”
The Warriors (2-2-2) travel to face Watertown (3-0-4) on Wednesday at 6 p.m., and will get a rematch against Burlington during the annual Kicks for Cancer tournament at Concord-Carlisle High School next Saturday, Sept. 27 at 10 a.m.