Box Score OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha men's soccer team scored in the final minute of regulation to defeat visiting Pacific on Sunday afternoon at Caniglia Field, 2-1.
The win moves the Mavericks to 2-0 on the season, while the Tigers fall to 0-2. This is the first time in program history that UNO has started the season with two straight victories and the Mavericks are riding a five game winning streak dating back to Nov. 8, 2014.
Omaha held the majority of the possession in the first half, but was unable to put a goal on the board. The Mavericks outshot the Tigers 14-0, but managed only one shot on goal.
Pacific grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 56th minute as Brian Im notched his first goal of the season. Im gathered a missed clearance from Omaha goalkeeper Joseph Ghitis and tucked his shot into the lower left corner for the score.
UNO answered the Pacific challenge and leveled the score in the 61st minute. Fazlo Alihodzic used a great individual effort to create a scoring change. Alihodzic weaved through four Tiger defenders before placing his shot past the goalkeeper to level the game, 1-1.
Omaha continued to bombard Pacific with a barrage of shots following the Alihodzic equalizer, but the Tiger defense stood strong.
Logan Mendez gave UNO a 2-1 lead in the 89th minute with his first goal of the season. Mendez took advantage of a misplayed ball from the Pacific defense to fire a shot past the Tigers' goalkeeper for the game winner.
Tristan Blackmon got behind the Omaha defense in the final 30 seconds of the game for a one-on-one with Ghitis. Ghitis pounced on Blackmon's shot to seal the win for the home side.
Omaha finished the game with 27 total shots with five being on goal. Pacific managed only five shots with three on frame.
Mark Moulton paced the Mavericks with a team high eight shots. Kevin Correa added four shots, while three other UNO players had three shots apiece. Blackmon, the leading scorer in the West Coast Conference last season, was held to only two shots for the Tigers.
Ghitis made two saves in the win for the Mavericks. On the opposite end of the pitch, Curtis Goldsmith made two saves for the visitors.
Omaha wraps up a four-game homestand next weekend. The Mavericks host No. 20 UC Irvine on Friday, Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, Cal State Northridge visits Caniglia Field at 1 p.m.
Noteworthy
- The Mavericks have won eight straight games at home. The last home loss for the Mavericks came on Aug. 30, 2014 against No. 20 Standford, 2-1 (OT).
- Omaha's 27 shots this afternoon tied a team record. It was first accomplished Nov. 1, 2014 against Fort Wayne.
- Logan Mendez has scored six goals in his career at Omaha, but today was his first game winning goal.
- Joseph Ghitis won his seventh career game for the Mavericks.
