SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Armed with a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute, the John Brown University men's soccer team suffered a stunning individual effort from Aboubakr Diallo as the Oklahoma City forward potted goals in the 66th and 90th minutes to finish a 4-3 Stars come-from-behind win on Saturday (Sept. 29) night at Alumni Field.
Junior Conner Haney and sophomore Elias McCloud each scored their first goals of the season, and freshman Micah Herrmann netted his team-leading fourth, but Diallo's late-game heroics were too much to overcome as the City forward headed in the game-winner with just 34 seconds left off a flick from Henrik Verolet on the right side.
Diallo tied the score at three, the match's third deadlock, when James Beattie fed the forward on a counter-attack that was finished to the far right post from 16 yards to complete the hattrick.
Oklahoma City (6-2-0, 1-1-0 Sooner Athletic) held the shooting advantage, 9-7, at the intermission, but needed just four attempts to record two second-half goals as JBU (3-5-1, 0-2-0) netted just one goal on 18 attempts in the latter frame.
Haney gave the Golden Eagles a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute by ripped a shot to the far left post past OCU keeper Andre Salvador from 12 yards. The play began off a restart that saw senior Ryan Williams feed Collin Smith in deep on the right side before Smith played a pass off to Haney for the finish.
McCloud tied the game at one when he finished a loose ball in the box amidst the chaos and fallen bodies in the 28th minute. Ten minutes later, John Brown claimed the lead for the first time in the contest. Herrmann deposited a perfectly-placed shot from the right side to the far left post from 16 yards after Williams and freshman Goncalo Verissimo combined in the midfield to spring Herrmann on the rush.
However, just seven minutes later, Diallo's second of the game from Fernando Toledo tied the game at two before the half. Diallo eluded his defender and took the pass and let go a shot past senior Britt Wisener from 12 yards away.
Diallo opened the scoring in the 12th minute off a serve from Andrija Sreckovic on the right side. Diallo lept in towards the Golden Eagle net and timed perfectly a diving header into the left pocket of the goal.
Salvador made six saves in the victory while Wisener collected a trio in the defeat.
John Brown returns to action on Tuesday (Oct. 2) when the Golden Eagles travel to Muskogee, Okla. to take on Bacone in a 3 p.m. matinee affair.
