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Western Illinois University Athletics

Sagir
Sarah Ritter
1
Detroit Mercy UMD (4-6-5, 3-1-3)
1
Western Ill. WIU (1-6-7, 1-1-2)
Detroit Mercy UMD
(4-6-5, 3-1-3)
1
Final
1
Western Ill. WIU
(1-6-7, 1-1-2)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Detroit Mercy UMD 0 1 1
Western Ill. WIU 1 0 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | WIU Athletic Communications

WIU Draws at Home

Western plays three out of the next four on the road as the regular season winds down.

MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois men's soccer played on Tuesday (Oct. 18), hosting the Titans of Detroit Mercy in a game that finished as a 1-1 draw. Muazu Sagir scored his third goal of the season as WIU led the game in several statistical categories.
 
The Leathernecks switched things up with the starting eleven, as Gabe Chapa and Armin Dedic each earned their second career starts. Chapa would play 67 minutes and record a shot on goal while Dedic earned 47 minutes of game action.
 
"We have some guys with some nagging injuries and we couldn't risk it," head coach Dr. Eric Johnson said. "They've been training well all this week and last week, so we just told them it's time to step up – we know you want playing time, here's your chance."
 
With the altered lineup, it was Western Illinois who broke the game open early, scoring in the 21st minute. After Oscar Olingdahl controlled possession in the middle of the field, Sagir was able to get around his defender with some impressive hold up play and fired his left-footed shot from the edge of the 18-yard box low and away, giving Western the advantage. Tuesday's goal was his third of the season, adding to his career year that now includes three goals and four assists. The Leathernecks were unable to add another and the lead stood at 1-0 at the halftime whistle.
 
With the help of strong winds in the second half, Detroit found opportunities playing the ball over the top of WIU's defense. Though the defense held strong, the Titans found a breakthrough in the 65th minute off a corner kick, leveling the game at one. Neither team would score the rest of the way and it went final as a 1-1 draw.
 
"The wind was a huge factor for us to defend, especially with long balls because they're pretty direct to their three forwards who are very talented," Johnson said. "There were probably eight or nine corners so to defend that many with the wind whipping the ball around is difficult and with the size they have, how big they were, it was tough."
 
Western Illinois out-shot Detroit Mercy 12-6 (5-2 on-goal), forcing four saves and taking two corner kicks while drawing 16 fouls. Sagir, along with Arian Mehrang, Jaylen Drummond and Abdul Hypolite all recorded multiple shots in the game, while Mehrang, Sagir, Hypolite, Alex Flowers, Kyle Owen, Oscar Olingdahl and Xavier Brown all played the game's full 90 minutes. Adam Miller also came off the bench as the Tigard, Ore., native made his fourth appearance of the season.
 
"I thought (Gabe Chapa) was really good in the first half, held the ball up for us. (Armin Dedic) was good too. (Damian Rincon) off the bench was good, (Tajh Hylton) played both forward and at the back so we're pretty happy with how our substitutions played on a day when a bunch of regular starters were out."
 
Tuesday's game was the final non-league matchup of the season for Western Illinois, who face four Summit League opponents to finish out the season. For Coach Johnson, the take away from this non-league finale is simple: the team must continue to bring energy.
 
"We need to bring the energy that we brought today and a little bit of that toughness that we showed," Johnson said. "We did get stuck in a bit and I thought our backline was pretty good today, so hopefully put that out on Saturday and we move forward with the league games."
 
Western is back in action this Saturday (Oct. 22), hitting the road to face St. Thomas. Kickoff in St. Paul, Minn., is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
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