Golden Eagles extend win streak to eight games
The John Brown University men’s soccer team scoring leaders continued their respective hot streaks on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field as freshmen Oscar Carballo and Jacob Zamarron each scored in the Golden Eagles’ 2-0 win over Wayland Baptist, running JBU’s winning streak to eight in a row.
The conference-leading Golden Eagles (11-2-0, 5-00 Sooner Athletic) scored a goal in each half while senior Britt Wisener and the back line posted their eighth clean sheet of the season, and not without a bit of drama in the second half.
Carballo’s second gamewinner of the season in the 29th minute kept the Golden Eagles atop the Sooner Athletic table with just four regular-season matches remaining. Zamarron potted his conference-leading 17th of the season as a bit of insurance in the second half as JBU held a 19-11 shooting advantage throughout the contest.
The hosts almost conceded its first goal in three matches when a Wayland Baptist corner kick found Stefano Pesce deep in the box. Pesce’s redirection was headed towards the far left post and past Wisener, but junior Samuel Estrada guarding the back post made a sliding clear off the goal line, much to the dismay of the visiting players.
The call on the field was no goal and confirmed after the officials discussed the play further, allowing the Golden Eagles to, in turn, draw first blood.
Six minutes later, Zamarron began a play up the right flank with a little flick that sent sophomore Goncalo Verissimo deep into the attacking third. Verissimo one-touched a cross from nearly the corner flag back into the box at the top of the 18, where Carballo settled it and let go a shot that deflected off a Pioneer defender. The ball changed course, and trickled past WBU keeper Gonzalo Santa for a 1-0 John Brown advantage.
The match continued to grow more physical after the intermission as the officials showed a total of five cautions. The Pioneers ended up a man down when Jose Hincapie was shown his second caution of the match, giving John Brown a man advantage for the remaining 25 minutes.
JBU took advantage just 10 minutes later in the 77th minute as Zamarron blasted a shot past Santa after breaking in all alone. Carballo’s slip pass through the Pioneer back line broke JBU’s striker free for his 17th of the season and his seventh goal in his last five matches.
Down a man, Baptist wasn’t able to muster another scoring chance as the Golden Eagles improved to 7-1-0 at Alumni Field this season with a pair of matches remaining before postseason play.
Wisener finished the contest with four saves to run his record to 11-2 this season, while Santa made six saves on eight chances and was hit with the loss.
Up Next
The Golden Eagles will face Texas Wesleyan in Ft. Worth on Thursday (Oct. 24) in the start of its final road trip of the regular season. Two days later, John Brown will play visitors to Southwestern A.G. (Texas) in Waxahachie before returning home for a season-ending two-match homestand.