Box Score

CALGARY, AB – The University of Alberta Golden Bears handed the Mount Royal University Cougars men's soccer team their first loss of the 2023 season. The 1-0 win for Alberta gives them a 3-0-1 record and the top spot in the Prairie Division. MRU now sits just behind the Golden Bears with a 4-1-0 record.

The two Canada West juggernauts played a tight game and remained knotted at zero into halftime.

Coming out of the break, the Golden Bears wasted no time breaking the tie. In the 47th minute, Alberta forward Marcus Velado-Tsegaye struck a ball through the legs of Cougars defender Ethan Keen and past the outstretched arm of Aidan Dumoulin.

In what was the tightest game Mount Royal had played all year, their opponent had the edge for the first time.

In the final minutes of the game, the Cougars turned up the heat. They pressed up the formation and attacked every ball, with the determination to even the score.

In the 83rd minute, Josh Flaksman came so close to tying the game. Flaksman skillfully dribbled to find space and rifled a shot off the crossbar and out of play.

Playing with total desperation, Flaksman gave the Cougars one more shot to score. The forward was taken down in the box, and Mount Royal was awarded a 90th-minute penalty kick, much to the dismay of the Golden Bears. Fourth-year frontman Dawid Dudek stepped up to take the shot and missed wide to the left.

Alberta held on for the 1-0 road victory and will hold the top spot in the division for the time being.

Dudek and the Cougars will look to bounce back while they continue their home stand and take on the University of Victoria Vikes on September 16 at 1 p.m. The match can be caught live at Stadium Field or streamed on Canada West TV.

Player of the game: Alex Kemsley