Noe Meza and Steevan Dos Santos score in first league win of the Casciato era
FRESNO, Calif. (April 8, 2023) – Union Omaha came away with a big three points on the road and its first win in USL League One play of the season Saturday as the Owls defeated Central Valley Fuego 2-0.
The Owls arrived in Fresno looking to avenge the loss at their last home game of the 2022 season by spoiling Central Valley’s home opener. Saturday marked the fourth all-time meeting between the sides, with Omaha taking the first two match-ups before Central Valley notched its first win in the series.
In the match, Omaha’s press was effective early on, forcing the Fuego back line into some dangerous turnovers that the Owl offense nearly capitalized on early.
The Owls got their first shot on target in the 41st minute, with Luis Gil sending in a long-range curler into the box to force Fuego goalkeeper Mitchell North into a save.
For the second time in as many matches, the Owls got on the board first as Noe Meza took a sliding pass from Joe Brito on the counterattack and worked through two Fuego defenders to send a scorching shot into the back of the net in the 45th minute. The strike marked the first goal of the season for the Owls’ leading scorer from last year, the second-straight match with a Brito assist and took the visiting side into the locker room at the half with the early 1-0 lead.
The defense was tested on the night trying to douse off the Fuego offense, the victory not coming without some drama. The Owls racked up 6 yellow cards on the night, but with 18 clearances and 13 interceptions, Omaha was able to successfully fend off any threatening Fuego attacks.
Substitutes Alex Steinwascher and Steevan Dos Santos combined to seal the Owls’ victorious fate in the 88th minute, with Steinwascher sending a perfectly placed through ball in for Dos Santos to finish for his second score in as many matches.
“They were throwing a lot of bodies forward, putting on a lot of pressure, and we were able to soak up the pressure and get a really, really good goal in the dying moments,” Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato said.
The 2-0 result marked the first League One win in the Casciato era and also goes down as the Owls’ first clean sheet of the season, thanks to some gritty play from Nuhu and the back line.
“Scoring a goal is always a great feeling, but getting the win as a team is what matters most,” Meza said. “We played well tonight, and it was a hard-fought victory. I’m just happy I could contribute with a goal and help the team get the three points.”
“It was an amazing feeling to get an assist,” Steinwascher said. “Great result from the team and a big 3 points on the road!”
“Great win tonight on the road,” Casciato said. I think if you look at the first half, we outplayed them, we out-pressed them and in the second half, we just outfought them … The guys were excellent.”
Omaha returns to Caniglia Field for its next home match, taking on North Carolina at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 15 for Sweater Weather Night. After that, Omaha will have a bye week in League One action as the team prepares to take on MLS newcomer St. Louis City SC in the next round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, April 25.
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 Dominic Casciato on the field.
