California Baptist Defeats UC Riverside 2-0 in Men’s Soccer Match
- UC Riverside men's soccer hosted California Baptist, dropping the contest by a 2–0 score at home.
- California Baptist generated 20 total shots during the match, putting 10 of those attempts on target against UC Riverside goalkeeper Giancarlo Sagredo.
- The visiting attack broke through at the 53:36 mark of the second half when Mustapha Khasim found the back of the net.
UC Riverside men’s soccer hosted California Baptist, dropping the contest by a 2–0 score at home.
California Baptist Controls Possession and Shots
California Baptist generated 20 total shots during the match, putting 10 of those attempts on target against UC Riverside goalkeeper Giancarlo Sagredo. Sagredo finished the evening with eight saves to keep the home side within striking distance through the majority of the second half. UC Riverside managed 13 total shots, registering five attempts on goal that required five saves from California Baptist goalkeeper Ulrik Stroem.
Mustapha Khasim Breaks the Scoreless Deadlock
The visiting attack broke through at the 53:36 mark of the second half when Mustapha Khasim found the back of the net. Stavros Charalampous provided the assist on the play, setting up Khasim for his first goal of the season to give California Baptist a 1–0 advantage.
Justin Ojo Secures the Match with Late Insurance
California Baptist doubled its lead in the 81st minute of regulation. Felix Ezekwuka fed a pass to Justin Ojo, who converted at the 80:37 mark for his sixth goal of the campaign. The strike cemented the 2–0 final score as UC Riverside failed to find an equalizer in the closing minutes.
Match Discipline and Substitutions Shape the Pitch
Referee Abdu Razzaq Juma issued yellow cards to several players as physical play escalated on both sides. UC Riverside’s Matti Richter, Jona Martinez, and Tarek Hamideh received cautions, while California Baptist’s Justin Ojo and Stavros Charalampous were also booked by the officiating crew. Both teams utilized extensive substitutions, with UC Riverside bringing on fresh legs including Ace Tendale and Ethan Walker late in the second period, while California Baptist called upon players like Nicholas Coope and Matteo Costa to preserve the clean sheet.