The Webber International University men's soccer team battled Southeastern University in a physical matchup, but the Fire capitalized on their opportunities to earn a 3-0 victory over the Warriors.
Southeastern opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Thomas Andrade Hardouin found the back of the net at the 10:29 mark, giving the Fire an early 1-0 advantage.
The Warriors continued to battle as they looked for an equalizer, but Southeastern doubled its lead later in the opening half. At 26:33, Filipe Santana scored his first goal of the season off assists from Andrade Hardouin and Bruno Almeida, extending the Fire's advantage to 2-0.
Webber entered halftime facing a two-goal deficit after Southeastern controlled much of the attacking play in the opening 45 minutes. The Fire recorded 16 shots in the first half compared to one for the Warriors. Despite the pressure, Webber's defense and goalkeeper kept the match within reach, recording four saves before the break.
The Warriors showed more attacking life in the second half, producing four shots after halftime while limiting Southeastern to nine. Webber also earned a corner kick during the period as it searched for a way back into the match.
Southeastern, however, added its third goal in the 72nd minute. Pablo Lobon scored at 71:07, assisted by Tomas Gomes and Koren Klein, to give the Fire a 3-0 advantage. The goal was Lobon's third of the season.
Webber continued competing through the final whistle but was unable to break through Southeastern's defense. The Warriors finished the match with five total shots, while the Fire recorded 25. Southeastern placed eight shots on goal, while Webber was held without a shot on target.
The Warriors' goalkeeper and defense were called into action throughout the contest, finishing with five saves. Southeastern did not record a save. The Fire also held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks, with Webber earning one corner in each half.
The match was physical from beginning to end, with the two teams combining for 35 fouls. Webber was called for 16 fouls, while Southeastern committed 19.
Discipline also became a factor as the match progressed. Webber's Jordan Hernandez received a caution at 43:22, while team cautions were issued at 68:26 and 70:06. Seth James-Feder was also shown a yellow card at 83:33. For Southeastern, JP Quaresma received a caution at 15:34, Andrade Hardouin was booked at 25:40 and again at 80:12, while Ethan Otto received a caution at 88:32.
Despite the result, the Warriors increased their offensive pressure in the second half and continued battling throughout a physical 90 minutes against the Fire. Webber will look to regroup and carry that second-half effort into its next match.
