CHICKASHA, Okla. – The No. 1 Mid-America Christian men's soccer team found itself down early, but battled back in the second half as
Luan Cesar's penalty kick goal propelled the Evangels to a 1-1 draw at McLaughlin Field on Friday night.
SCORING SUMMARY
- 1st Half – USAO – 18:46 – Goal: Gideon Bossman (5), Assist: Justin Croke, Devon Charles – USAO 1, MACU 0
- 2nd Half – MACU – 72:26 – Goal: Luan Cesar (3) – MACU 1, USAO 1
MATCH SUMMARY
- Mid-America Christian controlled the pace early, but Science & Arts struck first. On a right side corner from Justin Croke, the ball found the head of Devon Charles before Gideon Bossman cleaned up the loose ball by punching the point-blank shot into the back of the net to make it a 1-0 game.
- The Evangels struggled to generate much offense the rest of the half, only forcing shots on-goal in the 24th minute from Rodrigo Albuquerque and in the 29th minute from Luan Cesar, but MACU was kept off the board.
- The Drovers appeared to take a 2-0 lead in the 38th minute when Mihajlo Blazic knocked a loose ball off a USAO header from a free kick, but he was called for a hand ball on the play, keeping it to a 1-0 game going into the half.
- At the start of the 67th minute, the Evangels had one of their best chances to score the tying goal, but after Georg Westerlund saved Bruno Sperandio's pass from going out the left baseline to Cesar on the left side, Cesar pushed his 8-yarder too far to the left as it went off the post and out for a goal kick.
- Two minutes later, the Drovers had a golden opportunity at an insurance goal. After the Evangels were called for a foul, Croke delivered a free kick in toward the left post as Bossman got his head on it once again, but the header deflected off the crossbar and MACU was able to safely clear it.
- In the 73rd minute, the Evangels were able to capitalize off a costly Drovers error. After Kelt Jager was fouled trying to run down a loose ball off a MACU corner outside the box, he was knocked down drawing a Drovers foul. On Rodrigo Ferreira's free kick, the low line drive bounced off the hand of a USAO defender in the box to initiate an Evangels penalty kick.
- After coming up empty twice, Cesar was finally able to put it into the back of the net on the PK through the right post, drawing the match even at 1-1 with 17:34 remaining.
- Mid-America Christian had a strong opportunity to score the game-winner in the 81st minute when Kareem Williams' left-footed cross found the head of Westerlund on the right side off the bounce, but his attempt bounced off the top of the crossbar and out the back for a Drovers free kick.
- Both teams had chances in the final five minutes as USAO's Charles had a weakly hit header easily stopped by Jeremi Abonnel with 3:54 left while Diego Real rifled a 26-yarder just right of goal.
- MACU faced a scary situation when the Evangels were called for a foul at 23 yards out near the top of the penalty box with 54 seconds left, but Croke's free kick sailed high and left of goal to end the match in a 1-1 draw.
MATCH NOTES
- Despite the 1-1 result, Mid-America Christian dominated the offensive possession, outshooting the Drovers 22-9, but the Evangels struggled to find the frame with just a 5-3 edge in shots on-goal.
- Rodrigo Ferreira led the offensive attack with five shots, but none finding frame while Luan Cesar attempted four shots with two landing on-target.
- The goal from Cesar was his third of the season, becoming the seventh different MACU player to net at least three goals in the 2022 campaign.
- The goal given up by the Evangels was just the second they had given up through 13 matches this season. It also snapped a 738-minute scoreless streaking against the MACU defense, a streak that included eight shutout victories.
- The draw was also MACU's first since battling Oklahoma Panhandle State to a 1-1 result at the Dill Soccer Field on Oct. 26. It was the team's third tie against USAO in program history, but the first to come during the regular season.
UP NEXT
- After spending the last three matches on the road, Mid-America Christian will be back in the friendly confines of the Dill Soccer Field on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The Evangels will open a three-match home stand against John Brown with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m.
