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final
Matthew Brooks
1
Northern Ky. NKU (3-4-1, 1-1-0)
1
Western Ill. WIU (0-4-3, 0-0-0)
Northern Ky. NKU
(3-4-1, 1-1-0)
1
Final
1
Western Ill. WIU
(0-4-3, 0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Northern Ky. NKU 0 1 1
Western Ill. WIU 1 0 1

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

Leathernecks, Norse Draw in Macomb

Arian Mehrang scored his first goal of the season.

MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois men's soccer played Tuesday night (Sept. 20), playing the Northern Kentucky Norse to a 1-1 draw at John MacKenzie Alumni Field. Tuesday's contest was the final tune up before Summit League action commences, with Omaha visiting Macomb for a matchup later in the week.
 
Liam Gainey made his return to the lineup, starting in an attack that also featured Sofian Maghouz and Xavier Brown. It would prove to be the bench that ignited the offense, however, as Arian Mehrang opened the scoring in the 30th minute with his first goal of the season. After controlling a long ball over the top from Jack Immesoete, Luis Rodrigues took a touch and played a simple ground pass to Mehrang, who finished off the far post with his left foot to give Western Illinois an early 1-0 advantage.
 
The Leatherneck lead was almost doubled in the 33rd minute thanks to Kyle Owen, who raised up and put a powerful header on net but was denied by an acrobatic save from the Northern Kentucky goalkeeper. Western out-shot NKU 5-4 in the first period of play but it was level at the break.
 
Both teams traded blows in the second period and Western continued to create chances, with Rodrigues getting behind the Norse back line with some fancy footwork but his cross was unable to find a teammate. After NKU equalized in the 78th, Mehrang got in behind but his sliding shot went off the right woodwork and out for a goal kick, mere inches away from retaking the lead. Neither team would score in the game's final 10 minutes and it ended as a draw.
 
Western Illinois held an advantage in total shots (11-9) and shots on goal (6-5), while taking six corner kicks and drawing 11 Norse fouls. Alex Flowers made four saves in net for a Leatherneck team that ranks second in the Summit League in goals allowed per game (1.43), trailing just the No. 11 ranked Denver Pioneers (0.71). With four saves on five shots on goal, Flowers took sole possession of the league-lead for save percentage (75.6%). After leading the team in scoring last season, Mehrang's goal was the first of his 2022 campaign while Rodrigues' assist accounted for his first points as a Leatherneck.
 
Western is back in action this Saturday (Sept. 24), hosting the Omaha Mavericks at John MacKenzie Alumni Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
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