Saturday, October 6
Bowling Green, OH
7:00 PM
Bowling Green State University
2-5-3, 0-0-1MAC
0
vs
0
Akron
4-4-2, 0-0-1MAC
1
2
OT 3
OT 4
F
Akron
0
0
0
0
0
Bowling Green
0
0
0
0
0
Photo by: Larry Clapper
Falcons, Zips Play to Nil-Nil Draw in MAC Opener
October 06, 2018 | Men's Soccer
Mwembia makes a career-high 10 saves en route to the clean sheet
The Bowling Green State University men's soccer team produced a strong defensive performance Saturday night (Oct. 6), battling the University of Akron to a scoreless draw at Cochrane Stadium. The match was the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams.
Junior goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia made a career-high 10 saves en route to his second clean sheet of the season.
The match included a 59-minute weather delay late in the first half. A thunderstorm moved into the area and the match was halted with 7:30 remaining before halftime.
While it had rained earlier in the day, the first 30-plus minutes of the match saw the teams playing on a relatively dry pitch. Following the delay, the Falcons and Zips played in wet and muddy conditions for the rest of the night.
Ben Lundt made two saves for the Zips to earn the clean sheet.
FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• Less than three minutes into the match, the Zips were whistled for a foul not far from the top of the 18-yard box. Akron committed 20 fouls to the Falcons' 14 on the night. After the aforementioned infraction, junior Chris Brennan curved his free kick around the wall, but the shot went just wide of the right goalpost.
• With approximately 14 minutes gone, UA's Pol Hernandez crossed a ball into the box, but it was punched away by BGSU junior Anthony Mwembia. The ball bounced around in the box before Sam Tojaga collected it and fired a shot, but it was blocked out of play for one of UA's 16 corner kicks on the night.
• In the 19th minute, senior Moe Mustafa played a long ball ahead to Brennan, who deftly trapped it down, then hit a cross into the box from the right side. An Akron player attempted to clear it, but saw the ball go off of his boot and toward his own goal. The shank, however, floated directly to Lundt, who grabbed it out of the air.
• With just over 11 minutes remaining in the half, rain began to fall, and the rain increased over the next few minutes. At 7:42 p.m. ET, with 7:30 remaining in the half, the match was delayed.
• A thunderstorm rolled through the area, and although it was still raining lightly, the teams returned to the pitch at 8:30 p.m. ET, and the match was resumed at 8:41 p.m.
• Ezana Kahsay's hard shot was parried away by Mwembia with just over two minutes left in the half.
SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• After the teams had waited through a 59-minute delay in the first half, then played only seven-and-a-half minutes before another break, the length of halftime was cut in half, to seven minutes and 30 seconds.
• The rain had basically stopped as the second half began.
• After holding a narrow 6-3 advantage in first-half shots, the Zips had eight shots to BG's four in the second half.
• Twenty minutes into the period, the Falcons won a free kick at midfield. Sophomore Zach Buescher's long free kick sailed into the box, and senior Moe Mustafa got his head on the ball, but the shot went high.
• Three minutes later, a throw-in by senior Tate Robertson found the head of classmate Ebenezer Ackon. His header went toward Mustafa, who also got his head on the ball, but it went out of play for a goal kick.
• Just under 20 minutes remained when UA's Tojaga hit a hard shot from distance. The ball bounced on the wet turf and picked up speed, but Mwembia made a diving save. Abdi Mohamed, a transfer from Ohio State, was first to the rebound and lofted it across the six-yard line, but Marcel Zajac's header sailed over the bar.
• In the 74th minute of play, Mwembia made another difficult save, this time on Skye Harter. Harter took a pass from David Egbo and made his way into the box, hitting a shot from approximately 10 yards out. But, Mwembia blocked the ball and smothered the rebound.
• With 12:50 left in regulation, sophomore Chris Sullivan played a ball to Brennan on the left side. Brennan, on the move, attempted to cut back to his right. A UA defender poked at the ball, but Brennan blocked it and it rolled past another Akron player and into the penalty area. Sophomore Vinny Worner, while being impeded by a Zip backliner, still managed to get his foot on the ball, but the shot rolled wide.
• Less than a minute later, Egbo missed a golden opportunity to give his team the lead. Mohamed cut from right to left and hit a cross with the outside of his right foot. The curving ball found Egbo between two BG defenders as he crossed the 18-yard line. But, as he attempted to shoot with his left foot, he inadvertantly bumped the ball with his right foot, and the resulting shot rolled harmlessly wide.
• Sullivan and senior Peter Pugliese worked a give-and-go play with nine minutes left. Sullivan took the return pass and hit a diagonal ball from the left side, but the cross/shot curved around the far post.
• Less than a minute later, the Zips threatened again after a BG giveaway deep in the Falcons' own end. Diogo Pacheco stole a pass and took a dribble into the box. He cut left to avoid a sliding defender and hit a shot from 15 yards out, but Mwembia, who had come off of his line, made a kick save to deny Pacheco.
• Off of the ensuing corner, the ball was cleared out of the box briefly, but was blocked by a UA player. It bounced off of several players and fell to Marco Milanese at the top of the box. He hit a low shot through traffic that was headed toward the right post, but Mwembia made a diving stop, tipping the ball wide.
• The Zips had two more shot attempts in regulation, but an Egbo effort was blocked with three minutes to go, and a Pacheco header went harmlessly wide as the final seconds ticked away.
OVERTIME HIGHLIGHTS
• Neither team took a shot in the first 10-minute overtime period.
• With 1:20 remaining in that session, Mwembia punched a cross out of danger. The teams went to a second OT.
• While the match was relatively even for much of the night, the visitors definitely had the advantage in that second overtime period. Akron had seven shot attempts and six corner kicks in the final 10 minutes.
• But, Mwembia had a stellar finish to a stellar match. He saved a free kick by Harter with 6:30 remaining and broke up a left-side cross by Kahsay three minutes later.
• One of Akron's best chances of the night came when Pacheco played Kahsay ahead on the left side, and Kahsay slid a cross into the box toward Egbo. Ackon may have gotten his toe on the ball just before Egbo attempted to hit a one-timer, but in any event, the UA striker misfired, and the ball rolled wide of the goal before a BG defender cleared it out of play for a UA throw-in.
• Under three minutes remained when Kahsay attempted to play a low ball toward the far corner. However, his cross/shot was blocked and went inches wide of the near corner.
• The Zips won a free kick with 1:35 to go, and Egbo's free kick was deflected by a BG defender and went out of play for a corner kick. UA would have three corner kicks over the last minute-plus.
• The first corner kick saw the ball knocked toward Egbo on the six-yard line, but his shot was blocked out of play by a BG backliner. The next corner was headed out of bounds by a Falcon, and the third was punched away by Mwembia.
• Off of that Mwembia play, the Falcons looked to mount a counterattack, but BGSU could not get a shot off before time ran out.
A FEW QUICK NOTES
• Anthony Mwembia, as mentioned, had a career-high 10 saves in Saturday's match. The shutout was his second of the season and the 17th of his BGSU career.
• Mwembia now has a career goals-against average of 1.02 in 4200-plus minutes spanning 45 starts.
• The Falcons and Zips now have gone to overtime in each of their last three meetings, after the teams had not played an OT contest since 1998.
WHAT'S NEXT?
• BGSU steps outside of MAC play for a midweek matchup with IUPUI. The Falcons face the Jaguars in Indianapolis on Tuesday (Oct. 9) at 7:00 p.m.
• Then, the Falcons travel to DeKalb, Ill., next weekend, taking on Northern Illinois on Saturday night (Oct. 13). That contest will start at 7:00 p.m. local time (8:00 p.m. ET).
• BG's next home game is on Saturday, Oct. 20, against Western Michigan. The Falcons and Broncos will meet in a 7:00 p.m. start at Cochrane Stadium. As always, admission is free to all BGSU regular-season home soccer action.
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.
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Junior goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia made a career-high 10 saves en route to his second clean sheet of the season.
The match included a 59-minute weather delay late in the first half. A thunderstorm moved into the area and the match was halted with 7:30 remaining before halftime.
While it had rained earlier in the day, the first 30-plus minutes of the match saw the teams playing on a relatively dry pitch. Following the delay, the Falcons and Zips played in wet and muddy conditions for the rest of the night.
Ben Lundt made two saves for the Zips to earn the clean sheet.
FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• Less than three minutes into the match, the Zips were whistled for a foul not far from the top of the 18-yard box. Akron committed 20 fouls to the Falcons' 14 on the night. After the aforementioned infraction, junior Chris Brennan curved his free kick around the wall, but the shot went just wide of the right goalpost.
• With approximately 14 minutes gone, UA's Pol Hernandez crossed a ball into the box, but it was punched away by BGSU junior Anthony Mwembia. The ball bounced around in the box before Sam Tojaga collected it and fired a shot, but it was blocked out of play for one of UA's 16 corner kicks on the night.
• In the 19th minute, senior Moe Mustafa played a long ball ahead to Brennan, who deftly trapped it down, then hit a cross into the box from the right side. An Akron player attempted to clear it, but saw the ball go off of his boot and toward his own goal. The shank, however, floated directly to Lundt, who grabbed it out of the air.
• With just over 11 minutes remaining in the half, rain began to fall, and the rain increased over the next few minutes. At 7:42 p.m. ET, with 7:30 remaining in the half, the match was delayed.
• A thunderstorm rolled through the area, and although it was still raining lightly, the teams returned to the pitch at 8:30 p.m. ET, and the match was resumed at 8:41 p.m.
• Ezana Kahsay's hard shot was parried away by Mwembia with just over two minutes left in the half.
SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• After the teams had waited through a 59-minute delay in the first half, then played only seven-and-a-half minutes before another break, the length of halftime was cut in half, to seven minutes and 30 seconds.
• The rain had basically stopped as the second half began.
• After holding a narrow 6-3 advantage in first-half shots, the Zips had eight shots to BG's four in the second half.
• Twenty minutes into the period, the Falcons won a free kick at midfield. Sophomore Zach Buescher's long free kick sailed into the box, and senior Moe Mustafa got his head on the ball, but the shot went high.
• Three minutes later, a throw-in by senior Tate Robertson found the head of classmate Ebenezer Ackon. His header went toward Mustafa, who also got his head on the ball, but it went out of play for a goal kick.
• Just under 20 minutes remained when UA's Tojaga hit a hard shot from distance. The ball bounced on the wet turf and picked up speed, but Mwembia made a diving save. Abdi Mohamed, a transfer from Ohio State, was first to the rebound and lofted it across the six-yard line, but Marcel Zajac's header sailed over the bar.
• In the 74th minute of play, Mwembia made another difficult save, this time on Skye Harter. Harter took a pass from David Egbo and made his way into the box, hitting a shot from approximately 10 yards out. But, Mwembia blocked the ball and smothered the rebound.
• With 12:50 left in regulation, sophomore Chris Sullivan played a ball to Brennan on the left side. Brennan, on the move, attempted to cut back to his right. A UA defender poked at the ball, but Brennan blocked it and it rolled past another Akron player and into the penalty area. Sophomore Vinny Worner, while being impeded by a Zip backliner, still managed to get his foot on the ball, but the shot rolled wide.
• Less than a minute later, Egbo missed a golden opportunity to give his team the lead. Mohamed cut from right to left and hit a cross with the outside of his right foot. The curving ball found Egbo between two BG defenders as he crossed the 18-yard line. But, as he attempted to shoot with his left foot, he inadvertantly bumped the ball with his right foot, and the resulting shot rolled harmlessly wide.
• Sullivan and senior Peter Pugliese worked a give-and-go play with nine minutes left. Sullivan took the return pass and hit a diagonal ball from the left side, but the cross/shot curved around the far post.
• Less than a minute later, the Zips threatened again after a BG giveaway deep in the Falcons' own end. Diogo Pacheco stole a pass and took a dribble into the box. He cut left to avoid a sliding defender and hit a shot from 15 yards out, but Mwembia, who had come off of his line, made a kick save to deny Pacheco.
• Off of the ensuing corner, the ball was cleared out of the box briefly, but was blocked by a UA player. It bounced off of several players and fell to Marco Milanese at the top of the box. He hit a low shot through traffic that was headed toward the right post, but Mwembia made a diving stop, tipping the ball wide.
• The Zips had two more shot attempts in regulation, but an Egbo effort was blocked with three minutes to go, and a Pacheco header went harmlessly wide as the final seconds ticked away.
OVERTIME HIGHLIGHTS
• Neither team took a shot in the first 10-minute overtime period.
• With 1:20 remaining in that session, Mwembia punched a cross out of danger. The teams went to a second OT.
• While the match was relatively even for much of the night, the visitors definitely had the advantage in that second overtime period. Akron had seven shot attempts and six corner kicks in the final 10 minutes.
• But, Mwembia had a stellar finish to a stellar match. He saved a free kick by Harter with 6:30 remaining and broke up a left-side cross by Kahsay three minutes later.
• One of Akron's best chances of the night came when Pacheco played Kahsay ahead on the left side, and Kahsay slid a cross into the box toward Egbo. Ackon may have gotten his toe on the ball just before Egbo attempted to hit a one-timer, but in any event, the UA striker misfired, and the ball rolled wide of the goal before a BG defender cleared it out of play for a UA throw-in.
• Under three minutes remained when Kahsay attempted to play a low ball toward the far corner. However, his cross/shot was blocked and went inches wide of the near corner.
• The Zips won a free kick with 1:35 to go, and Egbo's free kick was deflected by a BG defender and went out of play for a corner kick. UA would have three corner kicks over the last minute-plus.
• The first corner kick saw the ball knocked toward Egbo on the six-yard line, but his shot was blocked out of play by a BG backliner. The next corner was headed out of bounds by a Falcon, and the third was punched away by Mwembia.
• Off of that Mwembia play, the Falcons looked to mount a counterattack, but BGSU could not get a shot off before time ran out.
A FEW QUICK NOTES
• Anthony Mwembia, as mentioned, had a career-high 10 saves in Saturday's match. The shutout was his second of the season and the 17th of his BGSU career.
• Mwembia now has a career goals-against average of 1.02 in 4200-plus minutes spanning 45 starts.
• The Falcons and Zips now have gone to overtime in each of their last three meetings, after the teams had not played an OT contest since 1998.
WHAT'S NEXT?
• BGSU steps outside of MAC play for a midweek matchup with IUPUI. The Falcons face the Jaguars in Indianapolis on Tuesday (Oct. 9) at 7:00 p.m.
• Then, the Falcons travel to DeKalb, Ill., next weekend, taking on Northern Illinois on Saturday night (Oct. 13). That contest will start at 7:00 p.m. local time (8:00 p.m. ET).
• BG's next home game is on Saturday, Oct. 20, against Western Michigan. The Falcons and Broncos will meet in a 7:00 p.m. start at Cochrane Stadium. As always, admission is free to all BGSU regular-season home soccer action.
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.
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Team Stats
AKR
BGSU
Goals
0
0
Shots
21
7
Shots on Goal
10
2
Saves
2
10
Corners
16
1
Fouls
20
14
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
D
/ Men's SoccerF
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's SoccerD
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's SoccerM
/ Men's SoccerM
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