SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Junior Marcos Caballero and freshman Ransford Okyere scored the match opening and game-winning goals, respectively, and the John Brown University men's soccer team picked up its first win of the 2025 season with a 7-1 lopsided victory over Hesston (Kan.) on Friday night (Aug. 29) at Alumni Field.
Both Caballero and Okyere's strikes were their first career goals in the Blue and Gold (1-1-1), jump-starting a John Brown offense that looked for a breakout moment after a season-opening shutout and a 3-3 dray with the nation's No. 5 team in Oklahoma Wesleyan last Monday (Aug. 25).
Sophomore Alejandro Gallardo also contributed a brace at the back end of the scoring, including a thunderous strike on a free kick just outside the box to round out the scoring on the evening.
Caballero broke the ice in the 19th minute, ripping a shot in close that Hesston keeper Luis Jimenez couldn't handle, as the ball's momentum carried the shot over the goal line. Two minutes later, Okyere finished a beautiful through ball from senior Ahmed Abess to the far left post to double the advantage.
The three-goals-in-four-minutes barrage finally ended when Abess cleaned up a loose ball near the goal mouth off a corner from freshman Constantin Bauer.
Junio Atim Roper netted his second in as many games just before the half, finishing a comination play by tapping in a redirected shot in front of goal for a 4-0 John Brown lead. Gallardo began the play by heading down a chipped ball from Abess, sending junior Kendal Madrigal through the Larks' back line. Madrigal then roped in a low pass to the front of goal, tipped in by Roper to place the match far out of reach in which JBU didn't allow a first-half shot attempt.
After a defensive lapse allowed Hesston to score, the hosts responded in impressive fashion as sophomore Marcos Miranda ripped a 35-yard blast to the bottom right corner of goal to restore the four-goal cushion.
Caballero completed the evening with a brace in the final 25 minutes of play.
John Brown out-shot the Larks (0-2-0) by a 19-1 margin. Hesston scored on its lone shot on frame, while the visiting keepers combined for two saves on nine chances.
For the second time this season, JBU will now hit the road, this time in Springfield, Mo. to face Mission (Mo.) in a 5 p.m. matchup at the Allison Sports Town. Live coverage is yet to be announced.
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