OKLAHOMA CITY – The No. 22 Mid-America Christian men's soccer team got a big time offensive surge in the second half against sixth-seeded Science & Arts, getting goals from Cesar Ramirez and Adrian Heinle to come away with a 3-1 victory in the Sooner Athletic Conference Semifinal on Tuesday night at Evangel Field.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

• First Half
  • MACU – 25:58 – Goal: Mason Gonzalez (6), Assist: Carlos Castrejon – MACU 1, USAO 0
  • USAO – 39:25 – Goal: Angelo Leendertse (3) – MACU 1, USAO 1
• Second Half
  • MACU – 51:37 – Goal: Cesar Ramirez (4), Assist: Rodrigo Albuquerque – MACU 2, USAO 1
  • MACU – 71:11 – Goal: Adrian Heinle (4), Assists: Mason Gonzalez, Nikola Djuric – MACU 3, USAO 1

MATCH SUMMARY

• Mid-America Christian had the first great opportunity to take the lead in the 10^th minute when Rodrigo Albuquerque dribbled in from the left side toward the middle of the 18-yard box, but USAO keeper Bram Dekker made one of many great diving saves in the contest to just barely push the shot out the right side for a corner kick.
• The Evangels were able to break through with the go-ahead goal in the 26^th minute. After Carlos Castrejon intercepted a clear just outside the 18-yard box, he dribbled in before dishing it to Mason Gonzalez, who launched his 19-yarder into the right side just under the crossbar to make it a 1-nil Evangels lead.
• Science & Arts got the equalizer when Abdel Nait-Zerrat was fouled by MACU goalkeeper Sven van den Oever trying to get to a free ball off a deep send, setting up Angelo Leendertse for the penalty kick with 5:35 remaining. Van den Oever nearly made the save on the shot toward the right side, but it just barely glanced off his hand into the right side to draw the match even at 1-1.
• The Drovers had a chance at scoring a go-ahead goal with just under two minutes to go after George Origi was able to pick off Dejue Johnson's pass on the left side of the box, but van den Oever made a fantastic diving save to deflect the shot aimed toward the right post to keep it to a 1-all match heading into the half.
• The Evangels put on the pressure in the early going and put through the game-winning goal in the 52^nd minute. On the play, Luan Cesar dished it to Albuquerque from the center to the left side just outside the 18-yard box, but with the side well-defended, the Recife, Brazil product dribbled around some defenders toward the center. Albuquerque tapped a pass to the right side for Cesar Ramirez, who rifled a gorgeous shot from 25 yards out to the top left corner of the net to make it 2-1 MACU.
• Adrian Heinle gave the Evangels some insurance in the 72^nd minute when Gonzalez stole a pass on the right side toward midfield before sending to Nikola Djuric toward the middle. Djuric sent the outlet back to Gonzalez running the whole way toward the right post before tapping heel pass back to Heinle, who fired in an eight-yard shot from the right side to the left post, just out of the reach of the keeper to make it a 3-1 MACU advantage.
• Dekker made three fantastic diving saves on two attempts from Bruno Sperandio in the 76^th minute off a free kick and a short corner from the left side as well as an attempt from Albuquerque less than a minute later.
• USAO had a chance to cut the Evangels lead to one with just over three minutes left when Nait-Zerrat was able to run down a cross to the right post, placing a header back toward the left side of the goal. However, van den Oever made one of his best saves of the season with a leaping stab as he just barely got his right hand on the ball to push it out the right side, keeping the Drovers off the board in the second half.

MATCH NOTES

• With the two teams shooting fairly evenly in the first half with Mid-America Christian having a slight 7-4 edge, the Evangels dominated the possession in the second half, outshooting Science & Arts 16-5 in the final 45 minutes to finish with a 23-9 margin in shots. MACU was also able to place 12 shots on-goal while USAO could only muster four.
• Mason Gonzalez led the Evangels offensively with a goal and an assist for three points in the match. It was the first time Gonzalez recorded both a goal and an assist since making his Evangels debut in a 9-0 victory at Southwestern Assemblies of God on Feb. 23 as he turned in a hat trick with three goals and an assist.
• Cesar Ramirez's game-winner was his third goal thus far in the SAC Tournament. Ramirez, along with Heinle, have both scored three goals in the tourney and are the only two players competing for the eight teams in the field to score multiple goals thus far.
• Between the 6-0 win over Oklahoma Panhandle State in the SAC Quarterfinal and the 3-1 win over the Drovers in the SAC Semifinal, the Evangels have scored more goals than the other seven teams combined. The other seven teams have combined to net eight goals through six SAC tourney matches.
• With the assist on Ramirez's game-winner, Rodrigo Albuquerque moved atop of MACU's NAIA era record book for the most assists in a single season with nine thus far on the year.
• Mid-America Christian took the season series from the Drovers as the two teams competed in their third matchup of the 2020-21 season. Science & Arts got the best of MACU in a 3-2 defeat at Evangel Field back on Oct. 23 before bouncing back with a 5-1 victory in Chickasha on Mar. 13.
• The Evangels also avenged a loss to the Drovers in the SAC Semifinals last season when USAO came into Evangel Field and pulled out a 4-3 win on Nov. 12, 2019.
• Mid-America Christian will be competing in its second Sooner Athletic Conference Championship match in the last three seasons. The last time the Evangels advanced to the league title match, MACU defeated the Drovers in Chickasha on Nov. 9, 2018 with a 5-4 win in penalty kicks after battling to a 1-1 draw after 110 minutes of play.

NEXT UP

• Mid-America Christian will host its first ever Sooner Athletic Conference Championship match on Friday night. Eighth-seeded Central Christian will be the Evangels' opponent after they upset No. 5 seed John Brown 3-2 on Tuesday. Kick-off is slated for a 7 p.m.