Late BGSU Comeback Bid Falls Just Short vs. NKU

Saturday, August 25

Bowling Green, OH

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

0-1-0

Northern Kentucky

1-0-0

Northern Kentucky

Bowling Green

Photo by: Larry Clapper

August 25, 2018 | Men's Soccer

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Ackon scores twice, but Falcons drop a 3-2 decision in season opener

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Senior Ebenezer Ackon scored two goals just over a minute apart, but the brace was not enough to overcome a three-goal deficit as the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team fell, 3-2, to Northern Kentucky University Saturday night (Aug. 25). The match, the season opener for both teams, was held at Cochrane Stadium.

NKU took a 1-0 lead into the half, then doubled the advantage on an Alex Greive goal in the 62nd minute. Connor Probert's marker with just 4:55 left in the match left the Falcons facing a 3-0 deficit, but Ackon headed home a diagonal ball from classmate Tate Robertson just 28 seconds after the Probert goal.

Then, only 75 seconds later, the two seniors teamed up again. This time, the Falcons won a corner, and Robertson took the kick. Again, his ball into the penalty area found the head of Ackon, and the Falcons trailed by just a single goal with 3:12 remaining. But, NKU would not let the home side find an equalizer.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 2' | Senior Moe Mustafa got his head on a cross by classmate Tate Robertson, and the hard shot was tipped by NKU starting goalkeeper Jim Barkei, but the assistant referee's flag was raised, indicating offside on the Falcons.
• 5' | Sophomore Chris Sullivan crossed the ball into the box from the left side, but a header by senior Ebenezer Ackon went just over the crossbar.
• 16' | Somewhat against the run of play, the Norse got on the board. Rikard Lindqvist hit a right-side cross that was deflected by a BG defender. The ball caromed directly to a wide-open Alex Willis in the center of the box, and WIllis made no mistake, scoring from eight yards out.
• 27' | After a foul by NKU, junior Chris Brennan hit a rocket of a shot on the ensuing free kick, but the blast sailed just high.
• 27' | Just 47 seconds after Brennan's shot, junior Anthony Mwembia made the save on a hard shot by Willis. That was the last shot on goal of the first half.

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 50' | BG won back-to-back corner kicks, but the NKU defense was able to successfully deal with both kicks.
• 55' | Brennan got past a would-be defender on the left side of the pitch. He took the ball to the end line and cut it back to his right. But, Brennan's shot was blocked, and a backheel attempt after the deflection rolled wide.
• 62' | The Norse doubled the lead. Mwembia was caught out of his goalmouth after a BG clearing attempt was stolen by NKU's Alex Greive. Greive quickly fired a low shot that found the back of the vacated net.
• 79' | Greive nearly added another goal. After a cross by Will Hunt was deflected, the ball went to Greive in the box, but his shot was blocked by a Falcon defender on the goal line, and the BG defense was able to clear the ball out of danger.
• 86' | WIth 4:55 to go, Connor Probert indeed gave the visitors a three-goal lead. Probert worked a give-and-go with Greive, taking the return past and striking a blast from close range. Mwembia was able to get a glove on the high shot, but could not keep it from hitting the netting just below the crossbar.
• 86' | Quickly, though, the Falcons responded. With 4:27 left, Ackon got his head on Robertson's diagonal ball, and deposited it into the far-side netting. The goal was Ackon's first as a Falcon.
• 87' | Believe it or not, Ackon actually left the game and returned to the pitch between goals. He went down with 3:44 remaining and was subbed out of the match due to the clock having stopped. Ackon immediately headed to the substitution table and returned to the match with 3:28 to go.
• 87' | Just 75 seconds after his first goal, and only 16 seconds after returning to the match, Ackon scored again. This time, his header came off of a Robertson corner kick. With just 3:12 remaining, the Falcons were within a goal.
• 89' | The Falcons threatened to get the equalizer, but a header by Brennan with just under two minutes to go went wide.
• 90' | Mwembia came all the way to the other end of the field when BG won a throw-in late in the match. And, the junior goalkeeper got his head on a Robertson throw-in. But, the ball popped up into the air and the NKU defense was able to clear it. Hunt took the ball toward midfield and fired a long shot toward the empty BG net. The shot was wide and rolled out of play, but after taking a goal kick with only 20 seconds remaining, BG was not able to threaten again before time ran out.

STATISTICS
• The Falcons held a 13-9 advantage in total shot attempts, but the Norse had six shots on goal to BGSU's two.
• Mwembia made two saves on the night, while the Falcons were also credited with a 'team save.' Barkei did not make a save, as each of BGSU's two shots on goal found the back of the net.
• BG had a 6-3 lead in corner kicks.
• NKU was whistled for 23 fouls to the Falcons' 14, and the Norse accumulated three of the game's five yellow cards.

WHAT'S NEXT?
• The Falcons continue a busy season-opening stretch of three matches in a seven-day span. BGSU will head to Pennsylvania for a Tuesday (Aug. 28) matchup with Penn State. That match begins at 7:00 p.m.
• Then, BG returns home to face Wright State in the 'Battle of I-75' on Friday night (Aug. 31). Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. at Cochrane Stadium. 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.