PAPILLION, Neb. (May 28, 2022) – It’s been a long month on the road for the Owls, who were ready to get back into league play after a bye and a statement win on Wednesday, defeating MLS’ Minnesota United FC and booking their date in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals. Omaha is undefeated in league play following Open Cup wins and looked to build upon that streak in Saturday’s match-up.
Their opponent wasn’t all too unfamiliar, seeing as though a few weeks separated their last meeting. Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC returned to Omaha for the teams’ second match-up, ready to avenge their 2-0 loss to the Owls in the Open Cup Round of 32 on May 11.
The two sides played a physical match the first time out, and with both teams still hungry for points in the early part of the season, this match looked to be more of the same. The Owls would this time have to deal with the addition of Irvin Parra, who stands tied for second in the league’s Golden Boot race and who was suspended from play during the previous Open Cup outing.
The first minute of the game seemed to set the tone for the whole match. Omaha wasted no time waking up Hailstorm goalkeeper Johan Peñaranda. Ricky Rivera found Kemal Malcolm from just outside the box, the latter dribbling past two defenders to set up a shot right on target, but right into the hands of Peñaranda.
Northern Colorado, much like the first meeting, would find its first yellow card going not to a player, but to a coach, as goalkeeping coach Owain Fôn Williams was clocked in the 15th minute.
In Omaha’s goal, Rashid Nuhu, hoping to recreate his stellar night on Wednesday against Minnesota United FC, got his first save in the 17th minute with a headed attempt from Hailstorm’s Trevor Armann.
Acoff went off to create another chance in the 20th minute, trying to bend the ball back across the face of the goal to find Joe Brito, but with a tough angle, it ended up at the side of the net. Omaha would again apply pressure in the 31st minute, as Brito hit Rivera’s back and almost wound up with an assist as Malcolm tried to thread the low post with a shot.
Determined as ever to get his and Omaha’s name on the scoresheet, Acoff took a stab of his own, blasting it from all the way outside the box and just missing above the crossbar.
The teams headed to the locker room still stuck at 0-0. Coach Jay Mims chose to shake up the lineup at the break, with Yoskar Edu Galvan coming on for Acoff.
“We tried to mix it up, bring some guys off the bench. We tried to change some things and do whatever we could to get that goal,” Mims said.
Northern Colorado earned their second yellow card of the night in the 50th minute after Brecc Evans took Rivera down. Rivera rebounded well, though, almost sending a shot in from distance outside the box in the 55th minute.
The Hailstorm continued to challenge Omaha physically, with Marky Hernandez earning the team’s third yellow card in the 57th minute.
Mims then brought a trio of subs on in the 59th minute. Noe Meza and Hugo Kametani, tied on the team in scoring, along with Ryen Jiba entered the pitch to hopefully spark some energy into the Omaha offense.
Jiba, with some help from a great ball from Galvan, was almost ready to make something happen in the 86th minute, sending a cross that was just deflected off a Hailstorm defender.
Parra continued the steady string of yellows for Colorado, earning one himself in the 91st minute.
In the end, the score remained deadlocked and each team walked away with a single point. Although the Owls created plenty of chances, the finishing touch just wasn’t there to break through. On the plus side, the Owls’ defense continues to show its prowess as one of the strongest in the league, tied for least goals given up.
“Still a lot of positives,” Mims said. “We got a shutout. It’s great for the goalkeeper and back 4. We didn’t give up much, hardly anything at all.”
“0-0 is not a bad result. We’re not happy, but we’ll take it,” Nuhu said. “There’s no easy games in this league. We have to gear up for every team.”
Union Omaha will begin another road stand next weekend, traveling to face a tough team at Chattanooga Red Wolves on June 4th at 7 p.m. The Owls will have to wait until June 18th to earn their next home points, when they host Greenville Triumph at 7 p.m.
ADDITIONAL QUOTES
“It was a tough week. Incredible but tough. Mentally, physically. Just getting back in town and having a 45-minute practice, and then coming out here…We knew it was going to be very difficult.” -Jay Mims
“For the whole game, it was tough … we all work hard but these things happen.” -Nuhu
ABOUT UNION OMAHA
Union Omaha, the 2021 USL League One Champion, is the only professional soccer team in the state of Nebraska. USL League One is a United States Soccer Federation-sanctioned professional men’s soccer league that occupies the third tier of the American soccer landscape, below USL Championship (tier two) and Major League Soccer (tier one). Union Omaha plays its home matches at Werner Park in Sarpy County, also home to the Omaha Storm Chasers of Minor League Baseball. The team is led by General Manager Peter Marlette in the front office and by Head Coach Jay Mims on the field.
