In the second match of a demanding New Year’s Day doubleheader, the Veterans Memorial Patriots faced off against a formidable Medina Valley squad. The Patriots entered the game determined to shift the momentum, applying immediate pressure to the Medina Valley defense. The match was a balanced, back-and-forth affair with both sides mounting dangerous offensive attacks. The Patriot defense stood tall for much of the first half, fending off several Panther advances. Medina Valley eventually broke the stalemate, leaving the Patriots trailing 1-0 at halftime. Returning for the second half, the Patriots dominated possession and spent the majority of the period in the Medina Valley half of the field. They created several high-quality scoring opportunities, but the Panther defense remained resilient. As the Patriots pushed forward to find an equalizer late in the game, Medina Valley was able to capitalize on the counter-attack. Despite 7 crucial saves from goalkeeper Javier Ortiz, the Panthers added three late goals to secure a 4-0 victory. The Patriots wrap up pool play tomorrow, January 2, against El Paso Irving. We are proud of the endurance shown by these players after a long first day of the tournament.