CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 19, 2023) – Union Omaha peppered the goal Wednesday night against Charlotte Independence but was unable to find a breakthrough as the sides drew 0-0.
Wednesday marked the biggest test for Omaha in League One action thus far, going on the road and taking on another fellow playoff side from last season Charlotte Independence. The Jacks have seen a solid start to their 2023 campaign powered by a dynamic attacking unit that has scored the most goals in the league. The Owls were looking to upend the first-place Independence for the first time this season in their first return to American Legion Memorial Stadium since April 2022.
In what turned out to be a goalkeeping clinic of a night, Rashid Nuhu grabbed his first save in the 7th minute, smothering a shot from Miguel Ibarra.
JP Scearce tested Charlotte’s defense in the 19th minute with a bullet of a shot, requiring goalkeeper Austin Pack to make a leaping save to keep the boys in lightning off the board.
Tresor Mbuyu tried to sneak a shot past Nuhu in the 35th minute, the latter flashing the leather to grab the hot shot near post to keep the match deadlocked.
The Owls led in most statistical categories in the first half, holding 60% of the possession, completing 87% of their passes and doubling the amount of Independence shots with 12, but the teams headed into the locker room still tied 0-0 at the half.
Omaha came out of the break firing with several dangerous looks, starting in the 48th minute. Working off a Steevan Dos Santos interception, the Owls sprang into the counter-attack, as Scearce fed the ball to Luis Gil sent the ball just wide of goal. Reigning League One Team of the Week selection Joe Gallardo looked to score in his second consecutive match just after, striking another tough shot, with Dos Santos getting another saved attempt off the rebound.
The rain of shots continued to downpour in the 65th minute, with fresh substitute Pedro Dolabella taking a cross from Shaft Brewer Jr. and forcing another save out of Pack. Another close chance manifested in the 71st, Alexis Souahy’s back-post tap being scooped up before it can cross the line.
Two more solid scoring opportunities came in the 86th minute, with Dolabella driving up the left flank and punching another shot on-target before Noe Meza attempted to send the rebound back in, both requiring incredible back-to-back saves from Pack.
In the end, neither side could find a goal, leaving each team with a point to take away from the match. Omaha grabbed its second clean sheet of the season, thanks to some stellar play from the defense and 3 saves from Nuhu in goal.
“Very unfortunate to not come away with three points tonight,” Souahy said. “I thought we had control of the game for the most part, but we will take a positive point on the road and a clean sheet against a talented team.”
“It’s good to pick up a point on the road,” Nuhu said. “We played well. Everyone was pushing themselves to get the win but unfortunately, the soccer gods weren’t on our side tonight, and their keeper had a great game. I’m just happy with our attitude to not give up when we missed the chances. We could have easily broken and lost the game, but we kept on pushing and fighting till the end.”
“Really good performance on the road against a very good team,” Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato said. “We have some dangerous weapons up top. I think when you look at the second half, we were completely dominant … Created some really big chances and any other day, those chances go in, and we come away with 3 points like we should’ve done.
The Owls have some time to rest this weekend before jumping back into their U.S. Open Cup campaign next Tuesday, April 25 as they travel to face MLS side St. Louis City SC.
“We’re disappointed to have not won the game but another really, really good performance and looking forward to St. Louis in a couple days,” Casciato said.
Omaha returns home for more League One action on Saturday, April 29 against Northern Colorado Hailstorm for Pups at the Pitch Night.
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.
