Oklahoma City, Okla. – The Central Christian College men's soccer team dropped their first Sooner Athletic Conference game on Saturday evening, falling 3 nil to nationally ranked Mid-America Christian University, on their home turf.
The Tigers executed their game plan superbly for most of the night against the Evangels, but there is a reason they are in the top five in the NAIA. The plan was to force the MACU attack to go outside, not allowing them to create in the middle of the field. Of the 17 shots the Evangels took, four were on goal, but only three of them came from inside the 18 yard box, the rest were from distance.
On offense, the Tigers were unable to produce much of an attack, they countered when they could, and were solid on set pieces, but were unable to convert anything into a scoring chance.
The Evangels scored one goal in the first half, coming in the 27th minute off of a cross into the box. The Tigers were unable to clear the ball, and the Evangel attacker was able to find a small seam in the CCC defense to slip the ball into.
After the break, the Evangels added two more goals. Their first of the second half came on a free kick just outside the box. Their final goal came in the 76th minute of the game when Rodrigo Albuquerque, the reigning SAC player of the year, who had been bottled up by the Tigers all game, finally got free on a breakaway and finished a 1 v 1 chance.
Sebastian Herrera was in goal for the Tigers finishing with one save.
Coach Hoxie summed up the Tiger effort saying, "It's always tough to play against this caliber of team to being with but what I ask of my guys, sometimes, it's impossible because we have to be perfect. From my perspective, I thought we were in full control of what we wanted, which was to give up long range efforts and crossing. I believe they only had 2 shots in the box all night. Maybe 3. Tactically, we were successful in our main objectives in limiting them. There was nothing about this game that we weren't prepared for. However, we've got to understand that the little things were the difference in the game today. Sure they had all the ball, the sauce, and had all the girls oohing and awing with back heels and bicycle rides, but there was no production with all the sexiness, and yet they scored 3 times. That's the difference in a game like this. A Contested header, ducking in the wall on a free kick, and kicking it off a dudes shin guards sending them on a 1v1...that's it...that's literally all they had...then when the chance fell, we didn't take it. I'm not being harsh, but that's the fine margins that have to go our way if we want to get a result against these guys. I'm not going to fault anyone but myself for this game. I need to get better and find a way to give us more. There's got to be a way, so that will be the task for the next time we see them. As for now, time to take a few days off, recover, study some game film, and get ready to go again Tuesday."
The loss drops the Tigers to 5-2-3 overall, and 0-1-1 in the SAC. They will head back down to OKC on Tuesday for a 7:00 pm matchup with the Oklahoma City University Stars.
