It was a top-of-the-table clash between #1 North Carolina FC and #2 Union Omaha, but 90 minutes wasn’t enough for a victor to emerge as the two clubs finished with a 1-1 draw.
Image courtesy of Union Omaha Twitter: @Union_Omaha
North Carolina FC opened the scoreline in the 12th minute after a mad dash and a scramble for the loose ball inside of Union Omaha’s penalty area gave Rafa Mentzingen a window of opportunity. The goal meant the Owls would play from a losing position for the second week in a row. As we’ve seen this season, Head Coach Dominic Casciato & co. weren’t going to take that lightly.
With halftime approaching, the tide began to turn and Union Omaha was seeing more and more scoring opportunities. It all culminated in the 40th minute, when Steevan Dos Santos was fed a perfect thru ball from Dion Acoff that led him into North Carolina FC’s penalty area. As Dos Santos was fast approaching the goal line, he cut back a pass to Luis Gil, who was waiting near the top of the goal area and Gil lifted the ball into the top corner of the near post for the equalizer. Gil’s goal was his second goal in four matches and Dos Santos earned his second assist of the season, involving himself in a fourth Union Omaha goal in the last 6 matches.
The second half gave Dominic Casciato opportunities for adjustments and substitutions, all of which he utilized properly. The Owls rotated pressure, found new ways to threaten North Carolina FC in the midfield, and opened up space in the host’s half with balanced attacks between buildup play and counter attacks.
Time and time again, the Owls pressed the issue and almost found the winning goal. One of those chances came in the 84th minute, when Shaft Brewer Jr. lobbed a cross deep into the North Carolina FC box. Before the ball could touch a blade of grass, Steevan Dos Santos was there to put the one-time volley toward goal. The ball careened off the near post, danced across the goal area, and was eventually cleared away from the mouth of the goal.
Alongside standout performances from the likes of Luis Gil, Steevan Dos Santos, and JP Scearce, the Owls owe a big ‘thank you’ to goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu for his nine recoveries and five saves, three of which came inside the box. Union Omaha went toe to toe with the league leaders and proved why they are a threat for the Player’s Shield and even the Cup.
While the draw ends Union Omaha’s historic streak of ten straight wins, the Owls remain undefeated through eleven matches, which matches a club record. Union Omaha returns to Werner Park on Wednesday, October 4th for their last regular season home match. The Owls will take the field against fourth-placed Charlotte Independence, who are looking to extend their undefeated streak to five matches. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30PM CT and will be broadcasted on ESPN+. The promotional theme for Wednesday’s match is Fan Appreciation Night and the first 1,000 people to enter Werner Park will receive a Rashid Nuhu bobblehead, presented by Nebraska State Soccer.
Postmatch Quotes
(Courtesy of the recap on Union Omaha’s website)
Head Coach Dominic Casciato
“It’s a decent point away from home,” Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato said. “If you look at balance of play, I think we were much better and really dominated the second half and probably the end of the first half as well, so I think we’re unfortunate not to win, but the guys put in a great effort. If Steevan’s chance doesn’t go off the post and goes in instead, then I think we’re celebrating a well-deserved victory. We move on and look forward to Charlotte next week.”
Random Facts
- Union Omaha is on pace to set a record for average points collected per match. With 56 points collected across 29 matches, the Owls currently sit at an average of 1.93 points per match, surpassing the 2021 club record average of 1.82.
- The Owls set a club record for most consecutive matches with a goal scored, with the new record set at 11 and still going. The previous record belonged to the 2021 Union Omaha squad, who scored in 10 straight regular season matches.
- Despite being in third place at the end of Week 29, Union Omaha still managed to match the League One record for points earned in a regular season. North Texas SC managed to earn 56 points across 28 matches back in 2019.
- The draw against North Carolina meant the two sides split the difference in this season’s regular season series with each club collecting a win and a draw across the three matches. All time, Union Omaha still leads the series with four wins, three draws, and one loss.
- Union Omaha has three regular season matches remaining this season. With a game in hand, the Owls control their own destiny and can still win the Player’s Shield. The race for the Shield and a top-2 finish is separated by a single point between three clubs, so Union Omaha’s game in hand offers a prime opportunity for the Owls to finish at the top of the standings.
Match Summary
Attendance: 3,664
Scoring Summary:
12’: NC – Rafa Mentzingen
40’: OMA – Luis Gil (assisted by Steevan Dos Santos)
Substitution Summary:
65’: OMA – #7 Noe Meza replaces #11 Joe Gallardo
66’: OMA – #70 Lagos Kunga replaces #20 Luis Gil
80’: NC – #59 Nathan Ntalu replaces #9 Oalex Anderson
80’: NC – #7 Luis Arriaga replaces #10 Jaden Servania
86’: NC – #18 Devin Benton replaces #14 Rafa Mentzingen
Discipline Summary:
25’: NC – #24 David Garcia (Yellow card)
76’: OMA – #7 Noe Meza (Yellow card)
Who Gives A Hoot? 