OKLAHOMA CITY – On a night that featured multiple upsets in the Sooner Athletic Conference Quarterfinals, the No. 1 seeded and nationally third-ranked Mid-America Christian men's soccer team faced no drama against Central Christian as the Evangels cruised to a 3-0 victory on Friday night at the Mike & Helen Dill Soccer Field.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

• MACU – 11:15 – Goal: Rodrigo Albuquerque (14), Assist: Cesar Ramirez – MACU 1, CCCK 0
• MACU – 79:58 – Goal: Jack Price (8), Assists: Luan Cesar, Cesar Ramirez – MACU 2, CCCK 0
• MACU – 84:33 – Goal: Ricardo Ferreira (6), Assist: Rodrigo Ferreira – MACU 3, CCCK 0

MATCH SUMMARY

• First Half
  • Mid-America Christian was able to take advantage of its first opportunity on-goal in the 12^th minute. On the game-winning play, Rodrigo Albuquerque delivered a pass from the top of the box toward Cesar Ramirez on the left corner. Ramirez centered the pass back in toward the top of the six-yard box and Albuquerque punched a header into the lower right corner of the goal to make it a 1-nil contest.
  • The Evangels were able to force three more shots on-goal over the course of the half, but could not add to their lead as MACU held a 1-0 advantage at the halftime break.
• Second Half
  • MACU's first great chance to add to it came in the 64^th minute. Following a Rodrigo Ferreira free kick on Central Christian's side, Jack Price delivered a phenomenal header from the right post toward Endri Copa breaking toward the left side. However, Copa was just a hair from scoring the second goal as his reaching tap-in deflected off the left post to keep it to a one-goal game.
  • With the game winding down toward its climax, the Evangels were able to add the insurance goal. After Luan Cesar launched a well-placed cross from the right side to Ramirez left of the 18-yard box, Ramirez delivered another beautiful cross toward the right side, as Cesar headed toward Price near the right post as he quickly volleyed a shot inside that post to bring the score to 2-nil.
  • Five minutes later, MACU added one more for good measure. With just over five minutes left, Rodrigo Ferreira made a stellar defensive play with a tackle toward the right sideline and broke down the line before finding his brother Ricardo Ferreira near the top of the box. After receiving the pass, Ferreira made a tremendous cut toward the right of the box and fired a 15-yard blast inside the right post cap the scoring at 3-0.

MATCH NOTES

• Mid-America Christian thoroughly dominated the possession as for the first time this season, as the Evangels held their opponent to no shots while MACU attempted 24 shots, putting 11 on-goal.
• The last time MACU didn't allow the opponent to attempt a single shot, it came in the program's record-setting 24-0 victory over Bacone on Oct. 8, 2019.
• Rodrigo Albuquerque netted his fourth game-winner of the season and his team-leading 14^th with his go-ahead score in the 12^th minute.
• Jack Price notched his second-best team total eighth goal of the year while Ricardo Ferreira's score was his sixth of the campaign and his first goal since a two-score effort in a 5-1 win over Lyon on Sept. 11.
• Cesar Ramirez recorded a pair of assists in the contest to bring his team-high season total to 10 on the year, tying Albuquerque's NAIA Era single season record set this spring.
• The Evangels advanced out of the SAC Quarterfinal round for the fifth straight year. The three-goal differential is also MACU's second-largest margin of victory in the SAC Tournament during that stretch, sitting only behind the Evangels' 6-0 win over Oklahoma Panhandle State in the 2020-21 quarters on Apr. 2.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will now prepare to host fourth-seeded John Brown in the SAC Semifinals. The match is slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff at the Mike & Helen Dill Soccer Field on Monday, Nov. 8.
• If the Evangels can advance, they would play the winner of sixth-seeded Texas Wesleyan and No. 7 seed Southwestern Christian in the SAC Championship.