SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Sophomore Moises Jacobo likely came away from this game feeling like he could have easily had an additional goal or two – but he did plenty enough to help his team win on Wednesday (Sept. 23). In its first conference outing of 2020, the Concordia University Men’s Soccer took care of business in a 4-1 road victory over Dordt. The Bulldogs have won four-straight meetings with the Defenders.
It marked victory No. 120 in the head coaching career of Jason Weides. Concordia (3-1, 1-0 GPAC) has won three-straight matches since dropping its season opener to Bellevue University.
“Overall it was a good performance,” Weides said. “We created a lot of chances and could have had more goals in the first half, but I thought we did well overall in creating those chances. The first half was about some little details that we let slip. At the same time, we weren’t giving our opponent a lot of opportunities to score. Everyone who played was able to provide something whether they started or came on as a substitute. It was a team performance.”
The Bulldogs generated a flurry of offensive chances throughout the night and finally found some breathing room in the middle portion of the second half. The reigning GPAC Offensive Player of the Week, Jacobo was inches away from recording a hat trick in the first 45 minutes. He simply waited until the 74-minute mark before putting away goal No. 3 of his night. At a sharp angle, Jacobo tucked the ball inside the left post to provide the contest’s final score for the visitors.
Jacobo also found the back of the net in the 12th and 60th minutes while running his season goal count to four. The combo of Isaiah Shaddick and Yessine Bessaïes interrupted Jacobo’s offensive showcase for Concordia’s third goal of the evening. In the 67th minute, Shaddick executed a beautiful cross into the box that Bessaïes headed home for his first career goal as a Bulldog.
A native of Grand Island, Neb., Jacobo is doing more than just score goals. Said Weides, “He’s certainly playing at a really good level. His third goal in particular was a really great shot. He’s playing at a sharp level. At any moment several of our guys could pop up and have a hat trick and he was the guy who did that tonight. He’s been really productive and not just on the score sheet. He’s helped us defensively as well.”
Unfortunately, a late penalty kick goal kept Concordia from a second-straight clean sheet. Federico Andrea Simonetti held down the keeper role for most of the night before giving way to Callum Goldsmith. In front of them, the Bulldogs have gotten steady play from center backs Iker Casanova and Decker Mattimoe.
Concordia ruled the shot count, 24-10 (10-6 in shots on goal). Jacobo was a constant pest in peppering nine shots (five on goal) at the Defenders. Bessaïes and Garrett Perry took four shots apiece. Perry assisted one goal and nearly had one of his own. Quinton Olson converted the PK for Dordt (0-4, 0-2 GPAC) in the 88th minute.
Concordia will return to Bulldog Stadium for its third home game this season. The Bulldogs will welcome Northwestern (2-1, 0-1 GPAC) to Seward for a 3:30 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday. The two programs also met in Seward last year with the result being a 3-1 Concordia victory. The Bulldogs moved to 7-0 at the time.