Birmingham, Alabama – The Central Arkansas men's soccer team closed out a two-match non-conference streak on Saturday evening, heading to Birmingham, Alabama to face off with the UAB Blazers at BBVA Compass Field. The Bears would see their five-match winning streak come to an end, as a late goal would give UAB a 2-1 win.
UAB (3-4-3) would strike first, as the Blazers would counter off of a blocked shot from
Niklas Brodacki, when Massimo Ferrin finished off a cross from Rami Dajani for his first goal of the season in the 13
th minute.
Donald Benamna would look to have evened the match in the 21
st minute, but UAB keeper James Teal was able to make the stop. The Bears would find the equalizer in the 28
th minute, when
Kyosuke Kubota launched a cross into the Blazer box for Brodacki, who headed it home to even the score at 1-1 with his ninth goal of the season. Brodacki would get two more looks in the first half, with Teal making the stop in the 33
rd minute, and the shot going just wide in the 39
th minute, to send the match to the halftime break even at 1-1.
Benamna generated the first chance of the second half, firing off a shot that Teal managed to save in the 53
rd minute, and
Chris Holmes saw a shot stopped by the UAB keeper in the 66
th minute. The Blazers would turn up the pressure starting in the 70
th minute, with UCA keeper
Marc Olsen being called upon to make stops in the 71
st, 76
th, and 79
th minutes, but Benamna would get another solid look in the 81
st minute that was deflected by Teal. It would be the Blazers that would find the game's decisive goal however, as Aidan O'Hara scored on a breakaway in the 84
th minute.
On the day, the Bears placed seven of their 12 shots on goal, led by Benamna, who was on target with four of his five attempts. Brodacki put two shots on goal, while Holmes put one of two shots on frame. In goal, Olsen made five saves.
"This is a frustrating one," said UCA head coach Ross Duncan. "We have done a lot of work to get the team performing at a high level and to be in the position we were in. Tonight we lost our way and didn't punish our opponent early when we had the chance. The intensity and commitment that gotus all the results leading up to this match was missing. By the time we responded, it was too late. We had already let UAB set the tempo of the match and we were in a position where we had to start making adjustments."
The Bears return to Missouri Valley Conference play next Saturday, hosting the Bradley Braves at the Bill Stephens Complex. The match is set to begin at 1:00 PM.
"We have to go back to work on Monday and put our players back in a position to be successful against what will be a tough MVC opponent."
