MOBILE, Ala. – In a highly contested match-up that saw a combined six yellow cards and 32 fouls, it was the Rams that won the battle, as they defeated the Crusaders 2-1 Thursday night.
 
Mobile had the first opportunity, as Emilio Cazares was able to get around Roberto Rangel on a long ball and just beat WCU keeper Henry Hampshaw to the ball, heading it straight for the goal. However, Rangel kept up his run and was just able to slide in and knock the ball away for a corner kick.
 
Carey's early chance came from Djordje Djukovic in the 16^th minute, as he fired a shot from twenty-five yards, but the shot went straight into the arms of the Mobile keeper. Less than a minute a later the Rams followed with a shot of their own and just like the Carey one it went right into the arms of the WCU keeper.
 
However, the score would not remain at zero, as Joseph McMahon fired a shot from twenty yards out in the 20^th minute that was initially blocked but fell right back to his feet and this time the shot would find the back of the net to give Mobile the 1-0 lead.  Over the next twenty minutes both teams worked the ball looking for an opportunity with neither defense budging. Giovanni Soares had one of the few chances in the final minutes, but his shot would miss just to the left sending the game into the break with the Rams leading.
 
Early defensive pressure to start the second half led to the second goal for Mobile, as Cazares stole the ball at the top of the eighteen and chipped the ball over Hampshaw just two minutes into the second half. The rest of the half was like the first half but with Mobile maintaining control for the majority.
 
But with eleven minutes remaining, Carey played the ball into the box to Jack Greenwood who went up for the header but was fouled in the box setting up a penalty kick. Caoimhin McConnell stepped up to take the PK and quickly deposited the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal to put WCU on the board.
 
The Crusaders used that momentum, creating their best chances of the half, with Marc Guerrero having one of those. Guerrero fired a long-distance attempt that forced Ty Turner to make a leaping save, setting up a corner kick. On the ensuing kick, Turner once again came through, saving Greenwood's header. That attempt would end up being the last for the Crusaders, as the Ram defense did not allow another shot over the final minutes.
 
Carey is back in action Thursday, October 31, as they host a SSAC quarter final match. Play is set to get underway at 1:30 pm with the opponent to be determined later.