MILWAUKEE – Asher Ozuzu scored a pair of goals to help send the Milwaukee men's soccer team past Oakland by a final score of 4-1 Saturday afternoon at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (5-2-3, 1-2-1 Horizon League) took a 2-0 lead over the Golden Grizzlies (3-5-2, 1-1-2 Horizon League) and then closed it out with two more goals after the visitors got on the scoreboard in the 64^th minute.
 
Milwaukee runs its record at Engelmann to an unbeaten 3-0-3 on the season with a big week, topping a Drake team, 2-1, that came in regionally-ranked Tuesday before running away from an OU squad that was picked first in the Horizon League preseason poll this season. The four goals for the MKE offense mark the biggest outburst since netting four in late October of 2021 and snaps the unbeaten streak (3-0-2) the visitors brought into the match at five.
 
"The thing that we have been really emphasizing, is that attacking we can pretty dangerous and we are a good team in transition," head coach Kris Kelderman said. "We had plenty of opportunities in transition and we finished them. So then the emphasis becomes a little different and now we are focused on team defense. That was one of the things that we took note of from last year – that we had to become a team that was harder to play against. That was first and foremost and it's an emphasis for the team. With the offensive threats and the creativeness that we have in some of the attacking players, we are going to get our chances. We have to finish them and then it's just buckle down and defend. It's more of a 'roll your sleeves up and grind it and fight and defend', especially when we have the lead."
 
The Panthers were very opportunistic on the day, finishing with nine shots yet tallying the four goals on their only four shots of the afternoon that were on frame.
 
The first one came off a free kick from the sideline, closer to the midfield stripe. Mitch Goodman floated it into the front of goal, where Mesfin Roda was waiting with a header for his first of the season and the 1-0 advantage at the 18:53 mark.
 
The second goal came in the 37^th minute, started by Daniel Ibarra in back. His long goal kick flew over the backline defender, where Alejandro Martinez was able to run on to it, head it forward, and send a cross to Ozuzu who finished nicely with a header to make it 2-0. The rare GK assist was the second on the season for Ibarra.
 
Up 2-0 at the break despite being outshot 9-5 while defending five corners, the Grizzlies looked to have momentum when they finally dented the scoreboard at the 63:55 mark.
 
Using a strong team defense to hold on, the third goal came off another set piece. Roda started it when he took the free kick from about 30 yards out. Ryan Berghauer was waiting and lined up a volley that went rocketing towards goal, taking a slight deflection in for his second of the season at the 74:19 mark.
 
Ozuzu then capped off the day with his first collegiate brace, taking a square ball from Daiki Kumakawa at the top of the 18, quickly creating some separation and blasting it low past the diving keeper at the 79:45 mark to close out the scoring on the day.
 
"Asher was extremely dangerous today," Kelderman said. "Mesfin had a really good attacking performance as well as defensive performance. We had been leaning on Alé (Martinez) the first part of the season. Now that he's drawing more attention this is exactly what we needed."
 
Ibarra was just as good on the defensive side, finishing the afternoon with eight saves to equal his career high.
 
"From day one, Danny has been special and he's got something about him," Kelderman said. "He's a soccer player. He's great in the goal as far as making saves but he's great with his feet. And he is excellent in managing the game. His game management is as good as it gets."
 
On the day, the visitors earned advantages of 21-9 in shots, 9-4 in shots on goal, 11-2 in corner kicks, and finished with 58 percent possession yet it was Milwaukee that came through with the impressive victory. Ozuzu paced the offense with four shots. Goodman was credited with a career-best two assists, while Roda enjoyed a three-point afternoon (1G/1A), with the assist bringing his season tally to six to tie for the Horizon League lead.
 
Up next, the Panthers head across town for the next trophy contest of the season, taking on Marquette in the battle for the "Milwaukee Cup" Tuesday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.