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Omaha Athletics

Celebration
Mark Kuhlmann
0
Western Ill. WIU (2-13-1, 2-4-0)
1
Winner Omaha OMAHA (6-9-1, 4-2-0)
Western Ill. WIU
(2-13-1, 2-4-0)
0
Final
1
Omaha OMAHA
(6-9-1, 4-2-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Western Ill. WIU 0 0 0 0
Omaha OMAHA 0 0 1 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Mavericks Clinch Summit League Berth vs. Western Illinois

OMAHA, Neb. - The Mavericks punched their ticket to the Summit League Tournament Saturday afternoon with a 1-0 overtime win vs. Western Illinois. Kenji Mboma Dem scored the golden goal in the 97th minute to clinch the postseason berth.

Omaha finishes the regular season 6-9-1 overall and 4-2-0 in league play.

How It happened
  • With a trip to the Summit League Tournament on the line, the Mavericks came ready to play Saturday. Fitzroy Cummings fired off two shots on goal in the first five minutes. A header off a Mboma Dem free kick narrowly missed the WIU goalkeeper in the bottom right corner. 
  • At the 4:48 mark, Mboma Dem took another corner for Omaha. He sent the ball into the box for Cummings who took a shot that was saved again in the center of the net.
  • Cameron Territo managed a shot in the 27th minute that was off target for WIU's only attempt of the half. Cummings tallied a third shot in the 35th minute. It was high and off-target. The match remained 0-0 into the halftime break.
  • In the second half, Devan DiGrado tallied the first attempt on goal for the Leathernecks in the 62nd minute, but it was saved by Nathanael Sallah in goal.
  • Mboma Dem responded two minutes later with Omaha's first tally for a save. Daisuke Otsuka recorded another shot for WIU on their next possession down the field for a second Sallah stop.
  • Inaki Aldao and Benedikt Zechmeister took back-to-back shots on goal in the final half of the second. Neither would find the back of the net and the match went to overtime.
  • In overtime, the Leathernecks had the first look on goal. Sallah blocked the attempt with his foot. Hugo Kametani nearly won the match in the 93rd minute with a shot off a free kick, but WIU's diving goalkeeper punched it away.
  • The golden goal came at the 96:02 mark. Tevin Rochester collected the ball off a thrown in and passed to Mboma Dem outside the top of the box. Mboma Dem used one touch to net the game winner. Mavericks win 1-0.

Inside the Box
  • Mboma Dem's goal was his second of the season. He finishes the regular season with a team leading seven points on two goals and three assists.
  • Omaha outshot Western Illinois 13-9 and 6-4 on goal.
  • Cummings led with a career-high five shots. Cummings and Mboma Dem had two tallies on target.
  • Sallah earned his fifth win and fourth shutout of the season. The freshman keeper made four saves.
  • With the win Omaha clinched a postseason berth for the sixth time since 2015.

Up Next
With a Denver - Kansas City draw, Omaha earns the No. 3 seed in the Summit League Championship. The Mavericks will play No. 2 Oral Roberts on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. CT. No. 1 Denver and No. 4 Kansas City will play in the first semifinal at 11 a.m.

The championship match will be played on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. Western Illinois is hosting the tournament in Macomb, Illinois.
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