Box Score
Calgary, AB…Gustavo Becerra’s goal just six minutes into first-half gave the Mount Royal University Cougars their second straight win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns in Canada West men’s soccer action Sunday in Calgary. For the Cougars, it was also their first clean sheet of the season.
The win now moves Mount Royal into a tie for fourth-spot points wise in the Prairie Division with Lethbridge and MRU both at 13 points. The Cougars improved to 4-7-1 through 12 matches, while the Pronghorns fall to 3-4-4 through 11 games.
Rookie Kamil Zielinski claimed the shutout in goal, making 11 saves including a number of key stops late, while Lethbridge’s Tyler Boast was the losing keeper making five saves.
“It’s fantastic – such a great feeling,” said Zielinski on the shutout and the win. “The boys did well in front of me. Everyone was stepping up, overall great team effort.”
The Cougars opened the scoring right from the get-go as Becerra ripped a shot from 25 yards out that soared over the head of Boast and just beneath the cross-bar to make it 1-0 Cougars.
Neither team would hold much of an advantage until the halves final five minutes when the Cougars seemed primed to score. Off a beautifully placed cross from the right side, the Cougars Brandon Miller soared high in the box and looked in great position to head home the game’s second goal.Mid-jump Miller and Boast collided on the 50-50 ball that sent Miller down hard, landing awkwardly on his shoulder. The game was delayed for 20 minutes, as an ambulance was called to attend to Miller who left the game with a serious upper body injury.
The second-half was swayed in favour of the Pronghorns, as the Cougars seemed content to sit on their lead and play great defence. The ‘Horns pressed hard in the game’s final ten minutes with striker Justin Marin registered two quality shots in tight that Zielinski coolly collected.
Calgary native Jordan Tawtel appeared to put the game away for the Cougars with just five minutes remaining on a partial breakaway, beating Boast, but not the cross-bar as he rang a quality shot off the iron that somehow managed to stay out.
The Pronghorns would have one final chance on a Brett Silbernagel cross with time expiring but the Cougars ‘D’ continued to hold strong, walking away with the 1-0 final.
Cougars head coach Jamie Pollock was pleased to see his team’s hard work finally starting to pay dividends.
“We’ve been plugging away at it and staying within our system and sometimes you just need a bounce or a little bit of luck. We had that both days, took advantage and scrapped away. The guys committed to doing the work, whatever was asked of them they followed through and got the result.”
The Cougars play one final home game, hosting fellow CIS newcomer UNBC on Oct. 20 at 2:00 p.m. before ending the season on a two game B.C. road swing, touring through Victoria and Fraser Valley on Oct. 26-27.
For the Pronghorns, they’ll return back to University Field in Lethbridge for a pair of home games versus the No.4-ranked Alberta Golden Bears on Oct. 20-21. Both games kick-off at 2:00 p.m.
-MRU-
