COLUMBIA, Mo. – The newly christened No. 1 MACU men's soccer team faced one of its toughest challenges of the season at No. 14 Columbia at the R. Marvin Owens Field on Wednesday night as the two squads played to a full-time 0-0 draw.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

• No Scoring

MATCH SUMMARY

• Columbia had a chance to take the lead in the 18^th minute when Paul Morgurgo got a strong strike on-goal, but MACU goalkeeper Claudio Fuentealba made a strong two-hand save and fell on the loose ball to keep the Cougars from getting a second chance on the rebound.
• Mid-America Christian's first great chance at a go-ahead goal came in the 38^th minute when Diego Real's right side corner kick was flicked into the air off a heel kick by Henry Tolbert, finding the head of Sebastian Rebolledo on the left side of the box. Unfortunately, the senior center-back pushed it too far to the left and high to keep it a scoreless game.
• Mid-America Christian's lone chance on-goal came in the final minute as Federico Palacios lofted a long shot from the middle toward the right post, but CC goalkeeper Alejandro Molto Munoz forced the shot out the right side for a corner, sending the game into the half with a 0-all tie.
• MACU's first chance at a go-ahead came in the 58^th minute off a right side corner by Yasha Schaerer. After a short corner return was sent into the box by Schaerer, Rebolledo put a well-placed header from the left side diagonal toward the right, but Munoz made a sensational leaping save to force it out the right side for another MACU corner.
• The Cougars only on-target opportunity in the second half came in the 87^th minute, but the weakly placed header by Colin Gann was easily snared by Fuentealba to keep it a scoreless game.
• MACU had one last great chance at a game-winner in the final minute when a deep cross from the right side slipped through the outstretched arms of the Cougars keeper, but Pietro Musso's follow-up header in the box was blocked by a CC defender for a team save to seal the 0-0 final.

MATCH NOTES

• After Columbia held a 4-3 shot advantage going into the halftime break, Mid-America Christian dominated a bulk load of the possession in the second half, outshooting the Cougars 6-4 with a 3-1 edge in shots on-goal over the final 45.
• The MACU forwards were held most in-check as the Evangels top attackers for the match were defenders Kareem Williams and Sebastian Rebolledo, who each tallied a pair of shots with one apiece landing on-goal.
• Junior goalkeeper Claudio Fuentealba notched his fourth shutout of the season in-goal, recording a pair of saves to remain unbeaten at 6-0-1.
• Facing each other for the second time in two years, MACU remained unbeaten against the Cougars after the Evangels came away with a 2-nil win last season at the Dill Soccer Field on Sept. 12.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will now prepare for the start of Sooner Athletic Conference play next week as the Evangels will head to McPherson, Kansas on Tuesday, Sept. 26 for a 3 p.m. kickoff against Central Christian.