The boys soccer team from San Luis had been in this spot before earlier in the season.

San Luis took a 2-0 lead, only to fall behind 3-2, then rallied for a victory.

The Sidewinders’ first-round match against Phoenix Alhambra in the first round of the Division I state tournament on Wednesday (Jan. 30) followed the same pattern.

San Luis took a 2-0 lead, fell behind 3-2 and rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Lions at Phoenix Carl Hayden. Andres Elizalde’s goal with a little more than 3 minutes to play proved to be the difference.

San Luis, the No. 10 seed, returned to its home about 3 ½ hours away, south of Yuma, with a 12-2 record. The Sidewinders will play again in the second round at 2 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 2), likely another road match at No.2 Corona del Sol, which faced No. 15 Tucson Desert View later Wednesday night. Alhambra, seeded No. 7, finished 14-4-1.

The San Luis-Alhambra contest started out in bizarre fashion.

Just 2:46 into the match, San Luis took a 1-0 lead when the Alhambra goalkeeper went to clear the ball with a seemingly easy kick as the ball rolled slowly toward him. He must have taken his eye off the ball for a split second, because he whiffed on the kick and the ball rolled into the back of the net.

“I’ve played a lot of soccer and have coached at every level, and you would be surprised how many times that happens,’’ said San Luis coach Ian McDougall.

“That might have been his first touch of the match, a state-tournament match at that, and sometimes you get a bit nervous. I feel for the kid, I really do, but I’ll take it (goal).’’

Javier Espinoza scored off a deflection for a 2-0 San Luis lead with 11:04 left in the first half but Alhambra breathed new life 17 seconds later with a goal by Christian Barron.

Alhambra coach Zachary Zamenski put in a new keeper with about 9 ½ minutes left. Barron had a couple more chances before halftime, but could not find the back of the net.

Alhambra tied it at 2 with 32:21 left in the game on a goal by Oscar Rochin that was set up by a sweet pass from Barron. Rochin celebrated by doing a few forward flips down the field.

Barron and Aziz Allandikim set up another goal by Rochin at 25:13 for a 3-2 Alhambra lead.

San Luis did not back down, however. It instead became more aggressive.

The Sidewinders had the Lions on their heels. A San Luis shot grazed the right post, and moments later, Richard Hernandez tied it at 3 with a goal at 11:21.

The match appeared to be headed for overtime. But Elizalde, one of San Luis’ top players who sat out the first half “because he was in the doghouse,’’ according to McDougall, got the leash removed at just the right time and came to the rescue.

“We were not flawless, and we have a lot of work to do,’’ McDougall said. “We didn’t play well mentally, and our talent took over. When we got the tying goal, I thought it was only a matter of time before we would score again, because we had done it before.’’