LA PUENTE — Walnut coach Wilson Moreno was hoping his team could get into a more technical battle with Bishop Amat in Thursday’s nonleague game.

Moreno wanted to see how the Mustangs measured up against the Lancers, who are ranked No. 12 in Maxpreps’ Southern Section rankings and the top-ranked team in the San Gabriel Valley.

But Bishop Amat wasn’t interested in style points or impressing Moreno. The Lancers are a team that will roll up its sleaves, play physical and find other ways to win, particularly on set pieces, and worked those to perfection in a 2-0 vicory over the Mustangs.

Bishop Amat senior Junior Moreno scored both of Amat’s goals, heading home a free kick and a long throw-in from Michael Luna, and that was all the Lancers needed to improve to 13-1-2.

Walnut was solid through the run of play early, but had its troubles generating opportunities in the final third. In the end, the Lancers took advantage of what it does well, and Moreno had no complaints about that.

But he did think Amat got away with being overly physical on both goals.

“I was impressed with what we did,” Moreno said. “From the beginning they couldn’t compete with us so they went long ball, and it worked for them.

“I thought the two goals they scored ... the first one they clipped (our) goalkeeper and the second one they jumped on our player. They started calling it afterwards where they were jumping on shoulders and getting headers. I was hoping to see a more quality soccer game where the ball was played to feet, but that’s not what we got and they got the result.”

Walnut dropped to 6-2-2 and is a team with big expectations as well.

“We have a big season ahead of us, but we’re going to have to get stronger in the air, and we’re going to have to get some consistency with what we see when the ball is thrown into the box,” Moreno said.

“We knew going into the game that (set pieces) were one of their weapons. Kudos to them, they made it work and this is what they do. They put the ball in the back of the net and we didn’t. Give them credit for that.”

Bishop Amat had more chances and earned several corner kick opportunities in the first half before finally capitalizing in the 33rd minute for a 1-0 lead, which the Lancers took to half.

Maximus Ugalde sent a long free kick toward the right post that Moreno swooped in and headed home before Mustangs goalkeeper Frank Tang could punch it away.

“I was a little fortunate the keeper missed it,” Moreno said. “But you got to jump.”

Moreno scored again in the 49th minute on another set play, a long throw-in from Luna that he timed and headed home for a 2-0 lead.

“I try to make myself as big as possible on corners and those balls,” Moreno said. “Michael Luna has those long throws and I just try to get up there and win the header to do my part. We ended up winning 2-0 because we were the more physical team and more disciplined.”

Luna connected on a long throw again with Ugalde in the 65th minute that was called back on a foul.