OPSU Athletics

GOODWELL, Okla. — The Oklahoma Panhandle State men’s soccer team took on the Oklahoma City men’s soccer team on a wet and windy night with the Stars coming away as 2-0 winners.

The match started at an immense pace with OCU launching an attack right from the get-go. In the 2^nd minute, Ethan Zeinalpor ran down the right wing and swung in an enticing ball that was missed by everyone until it reached the back post where Sebastian Castillo dispatched the ball over the reach Caio Tazinazzo in goal to make in 1-0 within 100 seconds.

This goal set the tone for the next 15 minutes when the Aggies rarely had a chance to create anything with the Stars playing a high and aggressive press which forced errors in possession from OPSU.

OCU started to tire off the press and began to allow Panhandle to play, but the press in the midfield was too much to handle as the Aggies couldn’t create much going forward.

In the 42^nd minute, OPSU came close when Othman Gherab sent the ball whistling past the post from a free kick. This was the closest the Aggies came in the first half.

The rain poured down on the pitch during the break and created a slick surface and ball combined, to make for a more physical and aggressive battle. Panhandle came out in the second half with the early momentum as Miguel Castejon came close after beating two defenders and firing a shot wide of the right post.

In the 54^th minute, OCU had a free kick from the center of the OPSU half. Matheus Ambrozio sent a curling ball towards the back post where Yago Monteagudo shrugged off a defender and rose above all where he headed the ball to the opposite side netting to make it 2-0 and shatter the momentum of the Aggies.

The closest Panhandle came was in the 68^th minute as Pascal Steinbach got on the end of a free kick and powerfully headed the ball which crashed off the cross bar.

The game finished 2-0 and left the Aggies searching for their first points in SAC play.

Up Next: OPSU heads to Texas Wesleyan to play against the Rams on Saturday, Oct. 3, with kick off set to go ahead at 3:30 p.m.