GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team overturned a two-goal halftime deficit as
Roman Khela (Huddersfield, England) scored twice and
Niko Angulo (Dallas, Texas/Allegiance Academy) added a goal to lift the Huskies to a 3-2 victory on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 10) at Aldo Santaga Stadium.
Khela began the comeback in the 58th minute with his first goal of the season. NIU earned a free kick about 25 yards from goal as
Tobias Crear (Carrollton, Texas/Creekview) was taken down just to the right of the 'D' at the top of the box. Khela stepped up to take the free kick and fired a low shot around the wall inside the post to the left of Green Bay goalkeeper Drew Swancutt to bring the Huskies back within a goal.
Two minutes later, the Huskies were level on the second goal of the season from Angulo. A poor touch by a Green Bay defender was intercepted by
Noah Christian (Rockford, Mich./Rockford) who touched the ball into the run of Angulo. The Dallas, Texas, native ran into the box and made just enough space for himself to slip a shot from an angle past Swancutt and level the match for the visitors.
Khela completed the comeback for NIU with his second goal in the 72nd minute. Angulo was fouled just in front of the NIU bench 40-plus yards from goal. The Huddersfield, England native whipped a ball toward the back post, over the head of Swancutt and into the net for a spectacular game-winning goal.
With the win, NIU improved to 7-3-2 on the season, 4-1-2 in Horizon League play.
Green Bay opened the scoring in the 26th minute on a goal from Aleks Pituch. Luke Nicholson had the ball on the left wing and fired a dangerous low cross into the six-yard box where Pituch arrived just ahead of a Huskie defender to finish from close range and give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
The Phoenix doubled their advantage before the interval as Nathan Moua made it 2-0 for Green Bay. Ty Perkins played the ball wide to Giovanni Cruz who found Moua inside the box with enough time to turn and fire a left-footed shot past an outstretched
Cayden Crawford (Plain City, Ohio/Ohio Connections Academy) in goal for the Huskies.
Crawford made four saves in goal for the Huskies, Swancutt had a pair of stops for the Phoenix.
NIU will step back out of conference play for the final time this season next Saturday, Oct. 17, when the Huskies travel to Tulsa. Kickoff against the Hurricane is scheduled for 7 p.m.
