Mitchell, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan men's soccer team opened their 2022 season at home with a fast paced physical 1-1 tie with Mount Marty University. Both teams' records sit at 0-0-1 to start the year.
The opening minutes of the first half was foreshadowing of the rest of the game to come with the Lancers collecting three fouls in the first five minutes of play. MMU would record the first shot of the game in the 7th minute that would miss wide left. The Tigers would have their first scoring threat in the 10th minute with a corner kick from senior, Lucas Paixao and shot attempt from Isaias Pio that was blocked by the Lancers defense.
The Lancers would threaten with a shot on goal in the 12th minute but would be handled by the Tigers goalkeeper, Federico Dusini recording his first save of the match. MMU would receive their first yellow card in the 18th minute of the game. DWU would get another goal look from Paixao but the shot would go wide right keeping the score 0-0 in the 22nd minute.
In the 26th minute the Tigers would get one of their best looks up to that point in the match with a shot on goal from Paixao that was saved by the Lancers goalkeeper. The Tigers would get on the board with their first goal of the season in the 38th minute with a beautiful pass and assist from Paixao setting up Pio for his first goal of the year and the first for the team in the 2022 season to make it a 1-0 Tiger advantage.
Mount Marty starting goalkeeper would receive a red card in the closing minutes of the first half resulting in the Lancers to be down a player and going with their backup goalkeeper the remainder of the match. Yellow cards would be handed to both teams in the 42nd minute. The Tigers would threaten right before the end of the half with a shot on goal from Cesar Requena that was handled by the Lancers goalkeeper.
The first half stat line would see the Tigers collecting five shots (three on goal) with the Pio goal in the 38th minute giving the Tigers their 1-0 lead. Mount Marty would only record one shot on goal in the half resulting in Dusini's lone save of the game up to this point.
Down a player the Lancers would still find a way through the Tiger defense to record the first shot on goal in the second half in the 50th minute but it would be corralled by Dusini for his second save of the game. Dusini would hold strong and keep the Lancers off the board with great saves in the 55th and 56th minutes. MMU would receive two yellow cards in the 60th minute of the match.
The next break in action would come with the Lancers receiving another yellow card (fifth of the game) in the 78th minute. The Tigers would have another great look to extend their lead with a shot on goal from Pio, but it would be handled by the new Lancer goalkeeper. Dakota Wesleyan would receive a yellow card in the 82nd minute that changed the momentum slightly allowing the Lancers to cash in on their first goal of the game and tie the game at 1-1. MMU would threaten once more to try and take the lead late but it would be stopped by another great save from Dusini to keep it 1-1 for a final
The final stat lines would show the Tigers being outpaced in shots to the Lancers (6-11). The Tigers standouts were Pio recording the lone DWU goal (38th minute) of the game on his three shot attempts (two on goal) as well as Paixo recording the one assist to go with his two shots (one on goal). Dusini would record five saves during the match. The physical game would have both teams collecting 14 fouls, but the Lancers would receive five yellow card and one red compared to the Tigers two yellow cards.
Head-to-Head (Mount Marty University)
- Tigers are now 4-3-3 in the last 10 matchups with the Lancers
- Outscoring the Lancers 19-15 during that 10-game span
Up Next
- Dakota Wesleyan men's soccer next match is at Concordia Moorhead Wednesday, August 24 at 4:00 p.m.