The Laredo Heat SC dominated its return to the USL League Two opening the 2025 season with a 4-1 home victory over the Hill Country Lobos on Saturday at PEG Energy Stadium.

Along with being a successful return to the USL2, it also was a successful debut for new head coach Juan de Dios Ibarra.

The Heat improved to 4-1-1 at PEG Energy Stadium at the start of the second season utilizing the facility.

“We’re thrilled to be back with USL2, and opening with a win makes it that much sweeter,” Laredo Heat SC president and co-owner Shashi Vaswani said. “Johnny did an outstanding job in his first match as head coach. He had the players ready to roll, and they executed well, especially offensively.”

Saturday also marked the debut of a pair of homegrown talents. In the 86th minute, 16-year-old high school players Asael Montoya and Osvaldo Madrid—stars for the Heat’s U23 team—subbed into the match. Their entrance may have provided a spark as the Heat scored a minute later.

“Those minutes were well earned,” Vaswani said. “Asael and Osvaldo have done an outstanding job working their way up through the academy and representing everything the Heat stand for. That has continued this summer with the senior club, and it is great to see them continuing to excel.”

A first-half brace from Volkan Celikkol proved to be the difference in the season opener.

In the 22nd minute, the Heat utilized a long diagonal switch as Edwin Orduy connected on a through ball from the left side of midfield to Kai Louviere in the front right corner. After Louviere’s cross into the box was deflected by a Laredo player, Celikkol capitalized on a weak header from the defense and scored from the left edge of the goal area for an early lead.

The Lobos didn’t waste much time responding as they found the equalizer in the 26th minute. They regained possession after a failed corner kick and scored off a deflection following another cross into the box.

However, it was all Heat the rest of the way. Another switch of play sparked the next goal as Ivan Zamora played ahead to Louviere, and he drove up near the goal line on the right side. Louviere centered a cross to Celikkol who one-timed it in to take back the advantage.

It was a tight one-goal game much of the rest of the way before Laredo took charge late. In the 83rd minute, Ismael Mane lobbed a pass from the left side to Gael Gallegos in the top center of the box. Gallegos settled the ball off his chest, then just before reaching the keeper, he shot into the lower left corner.

A minute after Montoya and Madrid substituted into the match, the Heat put the game on ice in the 87th minute. After assisting on the previous goal, Mane both helped set up and scored the final goal.

Mane redirected a pass behind his back for a through ball up the left side then crashed into the box. Zamora gathered the through ball and connected with Gallegos on a centering cross. Gallegos dribbled around an attack then tapped a short pass to Mane who finished the job for the final goal.

The Heat hit the road for the first time next Saturday traveling to Austin on May 24th to face Lonestar SC. The next home match will be Saturday, May 31 against Corpus Christi FC at PEG Energy Stadium.