MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois men's soccer returns home Thursday to host Houston Christian in Ohio Valley Conference action, looking to build on a late equalizer that earned the Leathernecks a 1-1 road draw against Lindenwood on Sunday.

Western Illinois showed resilience against the Lions, battling back after falling behind in the 55th minute. With time winding down, Fernando Adrados Castro converted a penalty kick in the 88th minute to bring the Leathernecks level and secure a valuable point in conference play. Goalkeeper Harvey Bolland also made several key saves to help keep Western Illinois in the match.

The Leathernecks will look to carry that late-game determination into Thursday's matchup against a Houston Christian team coming off a 2-1 loss to SIU Edwardsville. Despite the result, the Huskies held a 16-6 advantage in total shots and found the back of the net in the 73rd minute when Leo Makatta scored off a corner kick from Jess Degenaers.

Houston Christian enters the contest looking to bounce back after suffering its first loss in OVC play. The Huskies have shown an ability to create scoring opportunities, and Western Illinois will need to stay organized defensively while taking advantage of its own chances in the attacking third.

With conference play continuing to take shape, Thursday's matchup presents an opportunity for the Leathernecks to defend their home field and pick up important points in the OVC standings.

Western Illinois will kick off against Houston Christian on Thursday in Macomb before continuing conference play against Eastern Illinois on Saturday.

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