Box Score {cke_protected}{C}{cke_protected}{C}{cke_protected}{C}
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Heartland Conference newcomer Oklahoma Christian was offered a walloping welcome by Texas A&M International on Saturday. The Dustdevils, winners of the conference title in 2011 and 2012, leveled an offensive onslaught on the hosting Eagles (3-7-1) in the form of a 2-1 victory.
TAMIU (6-6-1, 4-1-0 Heartland) aired 34 shots with seven on target and strikes by Camilo Botero and Arturo Gutierrez bulging the OCU net. Leading the assault, local product Eduardo “Wayo’ Gonzalez blasted six tries and Adrian Elicerio sent five attempts forward.
Gutierrez, a midfielding magician from Norcross, Ga., was the most accurate of the Dustdevils, with two of his three shots finding the frame – and getting by OCU goalkeeper Evan Helker just before the half, in the 39th minute.
TAMIU forward Tayeb Ahmadi, a French junior, chambered a shot that was saved by Helker, only for Gutierrez to hammer home for his first goal of the captain’s senior campaign. The helper, credited to Ahmadi, stands as his third of the season and ties him with Jovany Macias for the team’s highest total through 13 matches.
The Dustdevils doubled their total in the 47th minute when Botero, a natural center back, took aim at the Eagles’ net on a free kick from just beyond the OCU 18-yard box. From about 20 yards away, the Colombian sophomore sizzled a shot into the Eagles’ goal without a challenge. The strike stands as Botero’s second of the season, following a draw-saving equalizer on Sept. 19 at Eastern New Mexico.
Upon the final clicks of the game clock, OCU pulled back a goal and trashed TAMIU keeper Miguel Lucio’s first career clean sheet when Domenico De Grazia scored his eighth goal of the season in the 90th minute. He was fed by Brandon Little Axe on the keeper-beating run to end the game at 2-1.
The match witnessed only four bookings, evenly spread among the competitors, from center official Nima Saghafi. TAMIU’s Walter Anoruo (33rd minute) and Lucio (71st) were cautioned, as were OCU’s De Grazia (56th) and Troy Tipperconnic (82nd).
The Dustdevils return to the pitch on Oct. 21 at noon against Dallas Baptist to continue their string of six consecutive road matches. TAMIU will return to the TAMIU Soccer Complex on Nov. 2 when it hosts No.7 St. Edward’s at 5 p.m.
