WIU Plays Belmont For 2-2 Draw

The Leathernecks and Belmont tied 2-2 after the match was called due to weather.

Box Score

MACOMB, Ill.- The Western Illinois men's soccer team battled Belmont in a 2-2 draw during their season opener Friday night (Aug. 26). The match was called in the 84th minute due to lightning.

The Leathernecks' first goal came off a Belmont penalty after Jacob Bevan was taken down inside the box. As a result, Fernando Pacheco stepped up for Western to take the penalty shot and buried it in the back of the net for a 1-0 Leatherneck lead in the 19th minute.

Western would go into halftime with the 1-0 advantage. The second half saw no goals until the 71st minute, when Belmont's Dan Brown scored off of a header courtesy of a corner kick to tie the match 1-1. Seven minutes later, Armel Kouassi saw an open field in front of him and rocked an 18-yard shot off the far post and past the keeper to give the Leathernecks a 2-1 lead.

With time winding down, the Bruins were able to even the odds off another corner kick in the 84th minute, scoring in the back left corner of the net.

"I was disappointed in how we gave up two goals on restarts with a corner kick and a free kick from wide. We need to be more disciplined in those situations," said Director of Soccer Dr. Eric Johnson. "On the other side of it, we had some good moments going forward in the attack. Good teams are able to do both and that is our goal."

Following the Belmont goal, the match was delayed due to significant weather and lightning before eventually ending in a draw.

Aziz Tahir led Western in shots (3) while Armel Kouassi, Jacob Bevan and Fernando Pacheco each added two. Belmont outshot the Leathernecks 14-12 and had a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks. Freshman goalkeeper Tim Trilk recorded six saves in 84 minutes of play in his debut.

The Leathernecks stay in Nashville, Tenn. over the weekend to play their second regular season match against Lipscomb, which is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 28, at 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#14 Jacob Bevan: F; 6' 2"; Senior; Oak Park River Forest

#28 Armel Kouassi: F; 5' 11"; Junior; Homewood-Flossmoor

#10 Fernando Pacheco: F; 5' 7"; Junior; Iowa City

#20 Aziz Tahir: D; 6' 0"; Junior; Park Center / Dubuque

#33 Tim Trilk: GK; 6' 2"; Freshman; Boylan Catholic

Players Mentioned

#14 Jacob Bevan
: 6' 2"; Senior; Oak Park River Forest
: F

#28 Armel Kouassi
: 5' 11"; Junior; Homewood-Flossmoor
: F

#10 Fernando Pacheco
: 5' 7"; Junior; Iowa City
: F

#20 Aziz Tahir
: 6' 0"; Junior; Park Center / Dubuque
: D

#33 Tim Trilk
: 6' 2"; Freshman; Boylan Catholic
: GK