WICHITA, Kan. – With two of the top men's soccer programs facing off on the illustrious Stryker Sports Complex Stadium Field, it was No. 6 Mid-America Christian that came out on-top when Rodrigo Albuquerque scored the game-winner in the 86^th minute to propel the Evangels to a 2-1 victory over No. 10 Bellevue on Saturday night.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

• First Half
  • MACU – 25:16 – Goal: Rodrigo Albuquerque (7), Assist: Cesar Ramirez – MACU 1, BU 0
• Second Half
  • BU – 61:39 – Goal: Oumar Sissoko (6), Assists: Toby Millward, Zach Robbins – MACU 1, BU 1
  • MACU – 85:25 – Goal: Rodrigo Albuquerque (8), Assist: Luan Cesar – MACU 2, BU 1

MATCH SUMMARY

• First Half
  • Mid-America Christian was able to put more opportunities on-goal in the early going from Luan Cesar in the fifth and seventh minutes, but Bellevue keeper A.J. Jarvis was able to make a pair of solid saves to keep MACU off the board.
  • The Evangels best chance at a go-ahead score came in the 16^th minute when Cesar Ramirez was able to put a well-placed ball from the left side to the middle of the six-yard box, but Ricardo Ferreira's header sailed just over the crossbar to keep the match scoreless.
  • While having some great opportunities throughout the first half come up empty, MACU was finally able to cash in during the 26^th minute. After Cesar Ramirez made a sensational defensive tackle just outside the right side of the 18-yard box, he was able to deliver a fantastic pass to Rodrigo Albuquerque on the left side. While BU goalkeeper A.J. Jarvis had it well-defended, he was still able to slip a shot past him toward the right post, glancing off one of his defenders trying to crash onto the ball to save it, giving MACU the 1-0 advantage.
  • Bellevue's best opportunity passed them by in the 32^nd minute when Alex Cuenca placed a header over the crossbar over a heavy bounding throw-in from the left side, allowing MACU to hold its 1-nil edge heading into the break.
• Second Half
  • Bellevue made some strong second half adjustments, narrowly missing the equalizer in the 47^th minute when Zach Robbins tracked down a blocked shot and rifled the rebound from just outside the 18-yard box, pinging the shot off the right post.
  • The Bruins missed another close chance just a minute and a half later when Harry Wray tried to lost a shot from the right side of the box toward the top left corner of the goal, but it bounced off the crossbar to keep it at 1-0.
  • Bellevue was able to put across the equalizer in the 62^nd minute when a deep outlet from Zach Robbins found Toby Millward breaking down the right side. He was able to cut back toward the middle and then deliver a well-placed pass to Oumar Sissoko on a breakaway into the middle of the box, firing a rocket just inside the right post to draw the match even at 1-1.
  • While Bellevue's defense didn't allow MACU too many opportunities at a go-ahead, the Evangels were able to capitalize when it counted. In the 86^th minute, Mateus Pasquantonio made a phenomenal sliding tackle before delivering an outlet to Albuquerque at midfield. Finding the run of Luan Cesar on the left side, Cesar was able to track it back to Albuquerque, who lifted the shot over Jarvis trying to slide in at the point of attack to give MACU the game-winner with 4:38 remaining.
  • The Bruins only chance at a second equalizer came with 2:40 remaining, but Jeremi Abonnel made a diving save at the shot toward the right post to seal the 2-1 victory.

MATCH NOTES

• While Bellevue managed to outshoot Mid-America Christian 15-14 in the match, the Evangels were more efficient in placing six shots on-target while the Bruins could only muster four on-target shots.
• Rodrigo Albuquerque's scoring spree continued, recording his fourth straight multi-goal match and scoring his seventh and eighth goals in the last four contests. Albuquerque now ranks eighth in the NAIA in goals scored and seventh in points with 19.
• By recording his sixth assist of the season, Cesar Ramirez moved into the top three in the NAIA in that category.
• Mid-America Christian defeated its third ranked opponent on the season after coming away with a 3-2 win over No. 16 Georgia Gwinnett on Sept. 6 and a 5-1 win over No. 22 Lyon (Ark.) on Sept. 11.
• The Evangels won another thriller against Bellevue after winning a 2-1 nail biter against the Bruins during the 2020 season. On Oct. 3, 2020, MACU also defeated Bellevue 2-1 when Albuquerque netted the game-winner on a penalty kick with 54 seconds left.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will wrap up non-conference play with its fourth-ranked opponent as the Evangels will host No. 21 Morningside (Iowa) on Saturday, Sept. 25. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. at the Mike & Helen Dill Soccer Field.