In the first round North Coast Section Division II mens soccer playoffs, Albany defeated the Pinole Valley Spartans, 4-3.
The Cougars, who are the seven seed for the tournament, had a back-and-forth scoring affair with the visitors.
Senior forward Andre Alvarez and senior midfielder Gabriel fueled the offense for the match. Each had two goals. Senior Goalie Ryo Huntamer also had several key saves to seal the win.
Despite a tying goal late by Pinole Valley and an injured Borges on the sideline, Alvarez was able to score the decisive goal on a breakaway in the closing minutes to give the Cougars a 4-3 edge.
The Cougars next play the two-seeded Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord on Saturday. The start time is 2:00 p.m.
