Falcons, Broncos Battle to 1-1 Draw at Cochrane

Saturday, October 20

Bowling Green, OH

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

4-5-4, 1-0-2MAC

Western Michigan

8-5-3, 0-1-2MAC

OT 3

OT 4

Western Michigan

Bowling Green

October 20, 2018 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Final Statistics (PDF)BGSU-WMU Photo Gallery (Isaiah Vazquez)Rewatch the BGSU-WMU Match

BGSU moves into sole possession of second place in the MAC

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Bowling Green State University sophomore Vinny Worner scored with just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation, but Western Michigan University equalized with just 1:19 on the clock, and the Falcons and Broncos battled to a 1-1 draw Saturday night (Oct. 20). The Mid-American Conference double-overtime match was held at Cochrane Stadium.

With the result, the Falcons are now 4-5-4 overall and 1-0-2 in MAC play. With 60 percent of the conference season complete, BGSU is in second place in the six-team league.

The Falcons are unbeaten over the last five matches, having gone 3-0-2 in that time.

Worner's goal came in the 80th minute, and was assisted by seniors Moe Mustafa and Ebenezer Ackon. Ackon chipped the ball into the box, and Mustafa flicked it on to the onrushing Worner. Worner attempted to chest the ball down as he surged past a Bronco defender. He settled the ball and neatly tucked it past WMU goalkeeper Lukas Von Lienen to put the home team ahead.

But, Western's Cameron Sipple equalized in the 89th minute, banging home a low right-side cross from Anthony Bowie.

The Falcons and Broncos each had 15 shots on the night, and the visitors put seven shots on goal to the home side's four. Junior goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia made five saves for the Falcons, while Von Lienen had three stops.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT
• All three of BGSU's Mid-American Conference matches this season to date have gone to overtime. Overall, the Falcons have played four-straight OT games, and BG has required more than 90 minutes to settle five of the last six contests.
• In all, BGSU has played seven overtime matches this season. The school record for OT matches in a season is nine, set by the 2013 team. Both the 1984 Falcons and the 2003 club saw a total of eight matches go to overtime.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 12' | Junior Charlie Maciejewski nearly made connections with senior Tate Robertson on a nifty through ball, but the ball hit Robertson's back foot as he attempted to split a pair of defenders at the top of the box.
• 18' | After a foul was called on the Broncos, Robertson played a free kick into the box from the left side. Senior Moe Mustafa headed the ball back across the six-yard line to classmate Ebenezer Ackon, but Ackon's header went just over the goal.
• 24' | A BG giveaway led to a near breakaway for the Broncos' Mike Melaragni, but Falcon goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia raced off of his line, diving on the ball just inside the 18-yard line before the WMU striker could get a shot off.
• 25' | It had rained in the Bowling Green area during the afternoon, but the rain subsided an hour or two before kickoff. But, it began to rain once again midway through the opening period, getting steadily harder over the remainder of the half.
38' | Sullivan hit a cross into the box from the left side, and Robertson nodded the ball toward the far post, but it was just out of reach of his BG teammates, and WMU 'keeper Lukas Von Lienen grabbed the ball to end the threat.
• 40' | Robertson picked up a loose ball near the top of the box on the right side, and fired a volley. The senior caught it clean, hitting a hard, dipping shot. But, the left-footed blast caromed off the top of the crossbar and went over the top for a WMU goal kick.

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 46' | The Falcons were attacking against a strong north-to-south wind at Cochrane Stadium in the second half, and the rain also intensified during the early portions of the second period.
61' | The Broncos were awarded a free kick on the left side, and Jake Rufe put a hard shot on goal. The ball was parried by junior goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia, but it fell to Connor McNulty. His shot, however, went well over the goal.
• 72' | BGSU won a throw-in on the right side, as Ben Thornton was shown a yellow card. The ball was played down the line, and freshman Matt Walters hit a cross into the box. Sophomore Vinny Worner got his head on the ball, but his shot was blocked by a Western defender, and the Broncos successfully dealt with the ensuing corner kick.
• 76' | Paul Liagre played a dangerous cross into the box for the visitors, but Anthony Bowie's header was high.
• 78' | The Falcons looked to mount a counterattack, and the ball was played to Robertson with four WMU defenders in pursuit. The BG senior got past three of the Bronco players, but could not elude the fourth.
• 79' | BG got the ball right back. and a cross was deflected to Sullivan. The sophomore found Robertson with a pass, and Robertson hit a turnaround shot from the top of the 18. The ball was deflected, and Von Lienen was forced to push it wide of the right post on the wet field.
• 80' | GOAL | Ackon played a ball toward the box, and Mustafa headed it into the path of the onrushing Worner. Worner slid it past Von Lienen to put the Falcons ahead.
• 81' | The Broncos won back-to-back corner kicks, and the ball ping-ponged around a crowded 18-yard box after the second one. Finally, a ball was popped into the air and Mwembia secured it.
• 89' | GOAL | The Broncos knotted the score with just 1:19 on the clock, as Anthony Bowie's cross found Cameron Sipple near the six-yard line. Sipple redirected the ball into the net to tie the match.
• 90' | After a foul on the Falcons, Melaragni got his head on the ensuing free kick in the box. He did not get all of the ball, however, and it blooped into the air and was stopped by Mwembia.

OVERTIME HIGHLIGHTS
• 93' | Ackon redirected a diagonal ball toward goal, but Von Lienen was able to grab the header without much difficulty. BG won the ball right back, but Robertson's volley attempt was off the mark.
• 94' | McNulty hit a scorcher in the box, but Mwembia was up to the task. The ball was headed toward the right side of the six-yard box. McNulty let the ball bounce past him, then hit a hard shot that the BG 'keeper saved at the near post. The ball was ticketed for the right side of the net before Mwembia punched the ball aside with a diving effort.
• 94' | Off of the ensuing corner, a Bronco player headed the ball toward goal. The shot was not hit very hard, but it deflected off of a Falcon defender and bounced toward the goal line, but Worner blocked the ball on the line, then cleared it away.
• 97' | Maciejewski took a Robertson pass and played a ball forward for Worner. As Worner headed into the box, however, the ball was knocked away just before he could reach it.
• 104' | Achille Robin put a diagonal ball into the area from the right side. Robertson's flick-on, however, was just out of reach of several Falcon teammates on the far side of the box.
• 105' | After a foul on the Falcons just outside the 18, Sipple's free kick found the head of Ben Thornton, but Thornton's shot was saved by Mwembia.
• 108' | With just under three minutes to go, Maciejewski controlled the ball on the right side of the box, and played a low ball to Robertson in the center of the field. Robertson took a touch, and hit a hard shot from the top of the box. Von Lienen went to the ground to block the shot. The rebound bounced over Worner, who spun around, attempted to settle it down, and hit a turnaround shot. But, the ball took a slight hop, and Worner's shot went over the goal.
• 108' | Just 45 seconds later, Sullivan played a ball forward, and Maciejewski slipped past WMU defender Alex Ruddock to get to the ball at the 18. He attempted to chip the ball over Von Lienen, but the shot went wide of the left post. Maciejewski's effort was the final shot of the night for either team.

FALCON NOTES
• Sophomore Vinny Worner's goal vs. the Broncos was his second of the season. He also found the back of the net in BG's win at Western Illinois.
• Worner is now tied for second on the team in points, with seven.
• Senior Ebenezer Ackon also has seven points on the year, after assisting on Worner's goal. The assist was Ackon's first of the season and the third of his BG career. He has played in 10 matches this fall after seeing action in five games last year.
• Senior Moe Mustafa had the primary assist on Worner's goal vs. the Broncos. Mustafa now has three points this fall and 15 in his Falcon career.
• Freshman Matt Walters made the first start of his young BGSU career, and he played a season- and career-high 62 minutes vs. the Broncos.
• Another freshman, Mitchell Hughes, made his official BGSU debut on Saturday night. Hughes, who enrolled at BG prior to the Spring 2018 semester, had been sidelined for the fall portion of the season due to injury, before suiting up for Saturday's match. Hughes checked in for the first time with just over 20 minutes remaining in the first half, and played a total of 48 minutes on the night.
• The Falcons have gone to overtime in seven of this season's 13 matches, including each of the last four contests. BGSU is 2-1-4 in OT games this fall to date.

WHAT'S NEXT?
• BGSU steps outside of Mid-American Conference play for one final time, heading to the Queen City for a Tuesday (Oct. 23) matchup with Cincinnati. That contest will begin at 7:00 p.m.
• Then, the Falcons will face league-leading West Virginia in Morgantown on Friday night (Oct. 26), before ending the regular season with a home match vs. SIUE on Saturday, Nov. 3.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
For more information on the men's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGAthletics and @BGSUmenssoccer), Instagram (bgsumenssoccer) and Facebook (BGMensSoccer) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.