Men's Soccer Huskies strike down Thunder in Edmonton

One goal was enough for the defending Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Men’s Soccer Champions to leave Edmonton with a victory last weekend as the Keyano Huskies soared to their first win of the 2024 outdoor season.

The first career ACAC goal from Shakir Mitha stood up as the difference in a 1-0 win against the Concordia Thunder Sunday. The Huskies also faced a postponement Saturday against The King’s University Eagles due to air quality.

“We’ve struggled with the start the last few seasons so it’s good to get a win,” Head Coach Niels Slotboom said. “There’s a little bit more for us to do in that. There should be a few more goals than just a single one, but you can’t complain about three points. Overall, it was a good result.”

McMurrayite Corbin Cyprien saved all five shots sent on target for the 14th win of his ACAC career and ninth clean sheet. Rookie Kofi Boateng also picked up an assist, his first ACAC point, on the goal.

It was also Cyprien who initiated the Huskies’ scoring play, sending the ball up to rookie Boateng, who tipped the ball out of mid-air to Mitha to send him streaking in to the goalkeeper’s left. From there, Mitha sent it past the keeper and got enough of the goal post to knock it back into the net.

Slotboom praised the team effort and Mitha’s awareness on the play.   

“He’s been around it the whole time,” Slotboom said of Mitha. “In every preseason game and in this game as well he was dangerous.

“It wasn’t just him. It was a great combination play between Corbin, Kofi, and Shakir to get him behind and a nice little finish.”  

The 1-0-0 Huskies will now return home to host the Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves Saturday and Sunday at Shell Place. Saturday’s match kicks off at 4:00pm with Sunday’s game getting started at 2:00pm.  

Admission is free for all with the Women’s games preceding the Men’s match at 2:00pm Saturday and 12:00pm Sunday.