OKLAHOMA CITY – In the No. 6 MACU men's soccer team's return home to the Dill Soccer Field for the first time in 15 days, the Evangels put together a stellar second half as MACU cruised to a 3-0 victory over Baker on Saturday night.
SCORING SUMMARY
MATCH SUMMARY
- Mid-America Christian put together the strongest first scoring chance in the 12th minute when Luan Cesar relayed a pass ahead to Cesar Ramirez in the left side of the box, but Baker keeper Landon Turner made a stellar diving stab as Ramirez's eight-yard attempt toward the right post was deflected off the right arm of Turner.
- The Evangels netted the first goal of the match at the 30:51 mark. Off Rodrigo Ferreira free kick sent into the box, Rodrigo Albuquerque was able to knock the cross down with his chest and then tried to make a sliding shot to his right from 10-yards out. Turner was initially able to make the save, but after the ball was batted in the air off the rebound, Mason Gonzalez smashed a four-yarder into the center of the net, bringing the score to 1-0.
- Baker's best chance at a score came just two minutes later when Georgy Kamaras was able to get open down the left side of the box, but his 12-yard shot attempt was punched out the baseline by Jeremi Abonnel, keeping it to a 1-nil game heading into the half.
- In the 51st minute, Gonzalez found his second header goal of the game, this time off a free kick. After Luan Cesar was fouled on the left side just outside the 18-yard box, Rodrigo Ferreira delivered a stellar free kick into the left side, deflecting off the top of the head of Gonzalez and re-directed inside the right post. The second header from Gonzalez stretched the edge out to 2-with 39:25 remaining.
- With just under 32 minutes left, Rodrigo Ferreira narrowly missed on a 40-yard blast from midfield the bounced off the top of the crossbar.
- MACU scored its final goal in the 84th minute when Uviwe Qasha delivered a pass from the left side that was chested down by Diego Real on left side of the box before Jack Price sprinted in to boot in the open 14-yarder inside the left post, wrapping up the 3-nil final.
MATCH NOTES
- Mid-America Christian controlled the possession, outshooting Baker 13-5 with an 8-3 margin in shots on-goal.
- The pair of goals netted by Mason Gonzalez is his first multi-goal match with the Evangels since his first game ever with the program when he tallied a hat-trick in a 9-0 victory over Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) on Feb. 23, 2021. Gonzalez's 31st minute goal was his third game-winning score in his MACU career.
- Jack Price's goal in the 84th minute was his first goal of the season after the SAC Newcomer of the Year netted eight during the 2021 campaign.
- Overall, the Evangels tallied three assists as Uviwe Qasha moved back into a tie for the team-lead with Price on the season with four while the assists from Diego Real and Rodrigo Ferreira were their second and first dimes respectively.
- The Evangels earned their first ever win over the Wildcats in just the second meeting between the two programs. The last time the two teams met was on Sept. 28, 2012 in Baldwin City, Kan. as the Wildcats came up with the 5-1 win. With the MACU victory, the all-time series is now even at 1-1.
UP NEXT
- Mid-America Christian will now prepare for one of its biggest home matches of the season as the Evangels host No. 4 Columbia (Mo.) on Monday. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. at the Dill Soccer Field.
