Box Score Box Score
An
Alex Jaziri goal in the 78
th minute broke a 1-1 tie on Saturday in San Marcos, as CSUSM men's soccer won its fifth straight match, 2-1 over Fresno Pacific.
The Cougars are now 5-3 on the season. Fresno Pacific drops to 3-3.
In general, the importance of a match is inversely proportional to the beauty of play on the field, and that held true on Saturday. With both teams at risk of falling to .500 and the post-season less than two months away, the match took on more importance than most midseason contests do, and that in turn led to tight, physical play.
That is, of course, the kind of the game the Cougars historical thrive on, and CSUSM would strike first on the day. After a scoreless first half that saw neither team looking especially threatening, in the 67th minute Eric Lopez carried the ball with purpose into the box and was awarded a penalty kick following some contact. Defender Jordan Shadeed, who led the team last season in goals and is in his third season of taking penalties for the Cougars, calmly slotted it into the bottom corner of the net, putting the home team up 1-0.
But that came a bit against the run of play, as Fresno Pacific appeared the more dangerous side for much of the second half, a trend which amplified following the goal. After missing an open net, the Sunbirds would get the equalizer in the 78th minute, with Paul Islas swinging in a cross that found the foot of Gustavo Silva.
With the game tied 1-1 and the visitors with the momentum, the Cougars would grit their teeth and show their resilience. Less than two minutes after conceding the goal, a long throw-in led to a scramble in the box, with the ball coming to the near side. Freshman Alex Jaziri was waiting for it, and banged it home to put the Cougars up 2-1, much to the delight of the home fans.
CSUSM would play solid defense for the remainder of the match, winning by that score.
Keeper Kiki Castro earned the win by making 1 save in net – but it was a hugely important one, coming on a Fresno Pacific breakaway early in the second half. Castro actually slipped and fell while the player was 1-on-1 with him, but recovered brilliantly to make a diving stop and control the rebound.
After winning their last two games mostly on heart and determination, Coach Ron Pulvers' Cougars will face a serious test at home on Wednesday against #14 Concordia University. The match begins at 4:00 PM after the women's match at 2:00 PM.
