CU's Claudio Lazar picked up a shutout in his first game as a Cavalier.
Brace Boosts Cavaliers to 2-0 Win vs. Goshen
PORTLAND, Ore.— Behind a pair of goals by freshman Jerod Brace, the Concordia men’s soccer team blanked Goshen College 2-0 in nonconference action Saturday night at Delta Park’s Strasser Field.
The game represented the season opener for CU while Goshen dropped to 1-1 after defeating Northwest Christian earlier in the week. Concordia returns to action Sunday against perennial Canadian power British Columbia. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. at Delta Park.
“I’m encouraged with the work that we are doing in training was evident in our game tonight,” CU head coach Dan Birkey said. “We were able to get the defense organized against a very good, a very dangerous team.”
After holding possession for most of the opening minutes, Goshen quickly saw its momentum shift in the 6th minute as Brace (Vancouver, Wash.) found the ball with an opening on the right side; firing it into the opposite corner of the net for an early 1-0 lead.
Brace capped the game’s scoring with a header in the 24th after a play-in by Facundo Dipascuale (Buenas Aires, Argentina). Dipascuale served Brace after receiving the ball via a throw in by Zack Madison (Bend, Ore.).
The Cavaliers held a slight disadvantage in shots with Goshen tallying 10 attempts to CU’s nine. Both teams recorded seven shots in the first period; putting a premium on attempt sin the second half of play. Both teams generated five corner kick opportunites.
Claudio Lazar (Ploiesti, Romania) produced the shutout after coming up with three saves and several other snuffs of Goshen attacks, including a charging blockade in the waning minutes. Ryan Troyer took the loss for the Maple Leafs; allowing both goals while receiving a pair of saves.
“It wasn’t a clean game and there is growth yet to happen as the team develops its personality. The team will need to make statements with its tackles as we played a bit light in 1-on-1 situations, especially against UBC” Birkey said. “But better things are ahead.”