Auburn, ME – The CMCC men's soccer team honored 11 graduating players on Tuesday night ahead of their 8-0 win over UMaine-Augusta in their final home game of the regular season. All 11 players started the match and seven different Mustangs put their names on the score sheet as the squad outshot the visitors 31-1 before the game came to an early end after 70 minutes.
Arnaud Nyagasaza, Sam Boynton, Tiro Nong, Ivan Domingues, Igor Domingues, Jeremiah Gomez, Justin Violette, Derrick Ofori, Alfie Bashford, Raimundo Lubota, and David Nzuzi were the graduating players introduced ahead of kick-off. The group represents four players (Nyagasaza, Lubota, Ivan and Igor) who had been a part of CMCC's back-to-back YSCC championships in 2022 and 2023.
UMaine-Augusta frustrated their host's ad-hoc line-up designed to squeeze in the group of mostly attacking players. The Mustangs had plenty of possession, but saw their shots either blocked or sent wide of the net in the early stages.
Ivan Domingues produced the break through in the 14th minute. Jeremiah Gomez forced a turnover in the penalty area, knocking the ball to the junior forward from Lewiston on the edge of the six-yard box. Domingues could hardly miss from there, smashing a low shot into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
It took until the 34th minute for the second goal to arrive. Ivan was again the catalyst, cutting down the right side of the box and attempting to square the ball to an open Justin Violette. Defender Micah Lasalle got a foot to it, but could only divert behind his keeper for an own goal.
As the Moose tired in the later stages of the half, the Mustangs opened the floodgates.
Mitch Cameron found the net in the 40th minute with a beautifully struck left-footed effort that curled delightfully into the side netting from 20 yards out. It was the second straight game with a goal for the freshman out of Knutsford Academy, with Igor Domingues providing the assist.
Mikel Soto made it 4-0 CMCC in the 41st minute. Captain Alfie Bashford floated a fantastic delivery to the back post to set up Mikel for a header. The Spaniard still had a lot to do from a tight angle, but guided an excellent finish just inside the near post and past goalkeeper Javi Fernandez.
Central Maine wasn't done quite yet. With three minutes remaining before the interval, Gomez cut through on goal and was scythed down in the box by a flying tackle from Fernandez. The referee pointed to the spot and after some wrangling, Raimundo Lubota stepped up to do the honors. The imposing center back drilled his penalty into the top corner for a 5-0 lead.
Coming out of halftime, the Mustangs voluntarily went down to 10-vs-10 with UMA having a couple of players on the bench nursing injuries.
The team still had some unfinished business with several players in search of one final goal on their home turf. One of those was Bashford with the captain from Knutsford, England being sent to the front lines in the second half in search of the first tally of his career. The towering center back has certainly showcased his ability to keep balls out of the net over the course of his CMCC career, but needed a couple cracks at placing the ball in the back of the net.
After having two efforts saved, his chance finally arrived in the 56th minute. Bashford latched onto a through ball from David Nzuzi towards the top left corner of the penalty area. Fernandez came out to cut down the angle, but the captain sizzled a left-footed effort just inside the near post before wheeling away to celebrate.
"If I was going to score one, I wanted it to be one that I had to work for myself," said a chuckling Bashford after the game. "I sometimes give the boys a bit of banter in training because I'll score more goals than them, but I don't know if I could do it on a consistent basis. It was nice to get one though and an assist."
The Mustangs weren't done with the fancy finishes just yet either. Right before the hour mark, freshman Harrison Garcia picked up a pass from Justin Violette on the right corner of the box. The Oceanside High School product curled his effort majestically into the top corner beyond the goalkeeper's grasp. It was the first of his career in just his third match played for the late edition to the roster to make it 7-0.
Another graduating player then capped the scoring in the 63rd minute. Tiro Nong pounced on a rebound in close after a powerful Igor Domingues effort was spilled. The current CMCC student body president knocked it home for his first goal of the season and third of his career.
With the match decided and UMaine-Augusta dealing with some injured and exhausted players, both coaches decided to end the match once it reached the 70th minute, making it official. Fernandez ended with 13 saves for the Moose while Nyagasaza picked up the win in net for the Mustangs.
With the 8-0 victory, CMCC now sits at 5-0-0 in YSCC play and has outscored its conference opposition by a 40-4 margin. The team now hits the road for its final four games, all in conference. Next up, a visit to New York on Friday to face the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Panthers. Kick-off is at 7 pm.
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