Wayland Baptist trailed at halftime but dominated play in the second half to secure a 4-3 victory over Arizona Christian in men's soccer action Thursday night at Hilliard Field.
"It was a game of two different halves," WBU coach
Robert Ssejjemba said. "We knew Arizona Christian was going to be a good team. They are very dangerous on set pieces and good in possession."
In the first-ever meeting on the pitch between the Pioneers and Firestorm, Arizona Christian took a lead just 3½ minutes in when Rhett Livingston was credited with a delayed goal that resulted after the ball bounced off the ground, hit the crossbar and just went in. The goal wasn't counted, however, until after play had resumed then was stopped while referees conferred. Finally, the Firestorm were given the early advantage.
Wayland's
Hector Romero then got hot – again. The senior who scored a team-record five goals in the Pioneers' season-opening 11-0 win over Ecclesia (Ark.) 13 days earlier scored twice just 3½ minutes apart, first at the 13:30 mark when he alertly beat the Firestorm defender to the ball on a lazy kickback to the ACU goalkeeper, then on a rocket shot from 30 yards out into the top of the goal on the far post.
Arizona Christian answered with back-to-back goals of its own, the first by Livingston then by Savino Livornese that gave the Firestorm a 3-2 lead in the 33
rd minute.
"We came out really flat in the first half and made some costly mistakes that hurt us," Ssejjemba said. "At halftime, we told the guys we needed to be better on the ball and reminded them about the good week of training we had."
The heart-to-heart halftime talk worked as Wayland got a game-tying goal from
Santiago Hernandez – nicely assisted by Romero – in the 63
rd minute then the game-winner 5½ minutes later by newcomer
Praise Ayeni, who sent a 25-yard free kick missile over the ACU defensive line and off the keeper's hands.
"In the second half, we came out really strong in the press and dominant in possession and created so much from the wide areas," Ssejjemba said.
Wayland spent the final 20-plus minutes mostly sitting on its lead as junior transfer
Elias Zamora, in his first action in goal for WBU, and the rest of the Pioneer defense shut down the Firestorm. After being outshot 8-4 in the first half, Wayland ended with 15 shots compared to just two for the visitors in the second half.
"Coming from a behind to win a game is always going to reveal character, and we needed to see it tonight," Ssejjemba said.
Next up for the Pioneers is an Oct. 8 home date with Texas-Permian Basin. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. at Hillliard Field.
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