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USL1 Union Omaha

3-1 Victory over Fuego Makes Six Straight at Home as Playoffs Loom

October 29, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Union Omaha News Release


Papillion, Nebr. - The Owls finished their regular season hot with a 3-1 win against Central Valley Fuego FC.

On the day they honored Omaha's all-time leading goalscorer Steevan Dos Santos, retiring at season's end, it was only natural they would have a bit of an attacking outburst, including goals by a fellow savvy vet and a youngster on the rise.

With nothing to play for though, it was a heavily rotated lineup put out by Head Coach Dominic Casciato. Marco Milanese, working his way back from injury, was the only starter in his second full season with the club. Anderson Holt, still a year away from cracking open a Modelo on a Union Omaha corner kick, was the third most-tenured player in the starting eleven.

Said Casciato, "We gave some opportunities to guys today that we haven't been able to get enough opportunities to throughout the course of the season, and these are guys that have been working really, really hard, so I'm proud of those guys and the way they stepped up. We're going to need everybody going into the playoffs."

Despite a bit of a scrappy start, though, it didn't take long for the Búhos to make themselves at home with a 1-0 lead. Off a long diagonal from Mechack Jérôme, Ryen Jiba played a one-two with Zeiko Lewis to unleash the former into space down the flank. Jiba's floating cross from the byline was then viciously thumped home with a bar-down header by Aarón Gómez to make Big Steev proud.

Omaha never truly dominated the run of play, per se; they ended up with 53% possession and a 22-19 edge on shots (though 11-6 in shots on target). Still, other than a spell around the 30th minute where shot blocking and timely interventions were key in staving off Fuego, they dictated much of the match's tempo.

Deputy goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley did come up huge in the 43rd minute to preserve the lead going into the half, however. When Jérôme pushed up from his right center back spot, it left acres of space for young Javier Mariona to run into, putting him one on one with Lapsley. The goalkeeper came off his line well, though, staying big with a kick save and a beauty.

The second half came down to a pair of players scoring their first professional goals to put the game to bed.

First came a returnee this season, Ryen Jiba, who corralled the rebound from a diving save and settled it on his strong foot before firing a near-post shot right past Zuluaga, who looked caught off-guard in Fuego's net.

Coach Dom was elated for Jiba's performance. "Really pleasing to see Aarón to get another goal off a great cross from Ryen Jiba, and Jiba getting his first goal in his professional career. I think that's a big moment for him. He's kind of been through hell and back when he went to Minnesota and suffered with the injury, so now we're really starting to see the best of him again, and I think Ryen has a really high ceiling and a lot to offer this club."

For his own part, Jiba was especially happy for certain people there to see it. "It felt really great. I've had assists before, but a goal feels really great, especially in front of my family! It really meant something to me, because they can't really come out to every game and support, but for them to see my first goal, it felt really great, I was very happy."

Mark Bronnik also had his parents on hand to see his first professional goal just minutes later. Not long after he had signed his first pro contract, he was on the receiving end up a cross from his curly-haired comrade Blake Malone, marauding down the right flank. Bronnik's diving header at the far post marked a truly special day for the 17 year-old from Brooklyn.

"You saw the impact he had now that he's under contract," said Coach Dom. "I think this year has been about him coming in and understanding what it means to be a professional. I think he's very fortunate to have some wonderful professionals in our locker room that he can learn from, and I think obviously scoring his first goal on Saturday will be the first of many."

Even a late goal by Central Valley to spoil the clean sheet couldn't spoil the mood as the Owls soared to a sixth straight home win ahead of playoffs.

Ryen Jiba summed up the evening and the regular season afterwards: "I feel like throughout the whole season it's been really tough. We've had our ups and downs and fought through a lot of challenges, and I feel like as a team we really accomplished it. For us to come in for the last game of the season and win the game 3-1, it lifts us even higher, you know? Because we're going into playoffs now, and we can't have mistakes, so we've just got to go off strong throughout the playoffs."

Now is when crunch time begins. The playoffs for Union Omaha begin on Sunday, November 3rd at 2:30pm against Richmond Kickers, with the match recently having been bumped up in time to account for a national broadcast by CBS Sports Network. This, as well as any further playoff matches on subsequent weekends, will be held at Werner Park.

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