OKLAHOMA CITY – With two of the top NAIA men's soccer programs going head-to-head in Friday night's season-opener, it was No. 9 Mid-America Christian that came out on-top as the Evangels defeated Hastings 3-1 at Evangel Field.

 
SCORING SUMMARY

• Second Half
  • MACU – 69:58 – Goal: Dante Luz (1) – MACU 1, HC 0
  • HC – 75:01 – Goal: Matthew James (1), Assist: Ross Murphy – MACU 1, HC 1
  • MACU – 75:44 – Goal: Mason Gonzalez (1), Assist: Rodrigo Albuquerque, Rodrigo Ferreira – MACU 2, HC 1
  • MACU – 88:57 – Goal: Luan Cesar (1), Assist: Mason Gonzalez – MACU 3, HC 1

MATCH SUMMARY

• First Half
  • With both teams playing strong defensively early in the first half, Mid-America Christian had the best first chance at a go-ahead goal with just over 25 minutes remaining. Breaking down the left side, Eugenio Garcia-Guerra heaved a pass inside the 18-yard box for Ricardo Ferreira, who tapped a pass to Rodrigo Albuquerque on the left side. However, Albuquerque's 10-yard blast ricochet off the crossbar, keeping the game scoreless.
  • Albuquerque and Cesar Ramirez were able to get two more shots on-goal in the half in the 31^st and 37^th minutes, but Hastings goalkeeper Brendan Dally was able to make a pair of saves to keep the match scoreless heading into halftime.
• Second Half
  • MACU had another golden chance to score in the first four minutes, but Dally was able to make a phenomenal leaping save on a header put just under the crossbar by Mason Gonzalez in the 47^th minute. In the 49^th minute, the Evangels had another chance on a breakaway shot by Albuquerque, but Dally made another leaping save. The Evangels just missed the opportunity to score on the rebound when Gonzalez slipped trying to run down the ball in-front of the open net, keeping it tied at nil.
  • The Evangels scored their first goal of the season in the 70^th minute when Dante Luz's pass on the right side of the box caromed off a defender and back to him for a 16-yard blast that slipped past the keeper to inside the left post.
  • With just over 15 minutes remaining, freshman goalkeeper Jeremi Abonnel was able to make his first collegiate save by poking Tom Steging's shot over the crossbar. However, the Broncos were able to convert on the ensuing corner kick when Ross Murphy's left-side heave found the head of Matthew James, placing it just inside the right post to draw the match even at 1-1.
  • The Evangels countered with a score of their own just 43 seconds later. Freshman midfielder Rodrigo Ferreira found Albuquerque on a short corner on the left side of the box. Albuquerque rifled a pass to Gonzalez breaking toward the middle, punching in the game-winner from a couple yards out to give MACU the lead back at 2-1.
  • Hastings had a chance to put in the game-tying goal, but Murphy's shot from the left side bounced off the crossbar, keeping the lead in the Evangels' favor.
  • Luan Cesar was able to give the Evangels some insurance with just over a minute to go. Breaking down the left side, Cesar found Gonzalez and cut back toward the middle of the box. Gonzalez fed the ball back to the senior mid and he launched a misdirected shot back toward the left-post to seal the 3-1 victory.

MATCH NOTES

• Mid-America Christian dominated the possession, outshooting Hastings 17-6 for the match, including an 8-2 edge on shots on-goal.
• Mason Gonzalez led MACU offensively with three points off of a goal and an assist.
• MACU's point-leader from a season ago in Rodrigo Albuquerque added one on Gonzalez's game-winning kick while freshman Rodrigo Ferreira notched his first career assist on the same play.
• Freshman goalkeeper Jeremi Abonnel recorded his first collegiate win, allowing just one goal while finishing the match with a save as well.
• The Evangels won their fifth-straight season-opener. During the 2020-21 campaign, MACU defeated Texas A&M-Texarkana 4-0 at Evangel Field on Sept. 26, 2020.
• The Broncos were the first of five opponents this season that MACU will face that are either ranked or receiving votes in the Preseason NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will be back at home on Tuesday, Aug. 30 as the Evangels host Friends (Kan.) for a 7:30 p.m. match at Evangel Field.