Red Mountain's boys soccer team needed a victory Thursday to keep its 6A playoff hopes alive. Visiting Chandler was able to play without the angst of having to win - only to win and keep moving up in the power-rankings and maintain a first-round state playoff game when postseason begins in less than two weeks.

Chandler's motivation won out as the Wolves scored 10 minutes into play and a game clincher with five minutes left for a 2-0 triumph. Chandler entered play No. 8 in current power rankings and the victory improved the Wolves to 6-2-1. Red Mountain rested at No. 17, one spot shy of the final playoff spot . The Mountain Lions are 6-5-1 and have one match left next week against one of the top teams in 6A, Chaparral.

"This was a big game for us," Red Mountain coach Mike Miller said. "We struggled offensively and we usually don't. We were disjointed right awat. They kept us off rhythm."

Red Mountain was frustrated early at the lack of a call it felt qualified as a red card and free kick. A few minutes later - the 10th minute - Chandler produced the game's first goal. Sophomore Isaac Barreno notched an unassisted tally from about 30 yards out finding the right corner of the net.

"That changes the game attitudinally," Miller said. "In the end we didn't get it done on offense. That's on us."

Chandler's 1-0 lead at the 10-minute mark, didn't come without a cost. It's leading scorer and leader in assists - senior Isaiah Barreno - received a second yellow card (red) and was out for the rest of the contest.

"What came from that is our guys didn't lose their heads after the red card," Chandler coach Sasha Hunter said. "The game was chippy at the beginning. I told our guys they needed to win this game badly and they were going to be focused. Mike has built a solid program, and they knew how important the game was. We kept our composure after the early minutes. Our defense followed through the last 65-70 minutes."

Chandler tallied an insurance goal in the 75th minute it wasn't expecting. With Red Mountain going all in on pressure to tie, Chandler nabbed possession at midfield and the combo of Carlos Gonzales and Raul Araujo made it hurt. Araujo scored off Gonzales' assist to make it 2-0. 

Red Mountain's bleak shot a rallying from two goals down with such little time suffered two losses shortly there after. Two players - junior Luke Hanes (Lions' top scorer) and senior defender Daniel Arias -- received red cards leaving the Mountain Lions two players down for the finish.