ALEXANDRIA, La. – The Crusaders drop their first game of the season on a late goal, as they lose 2-1 on the road to LSU Alexandria.
 
The first chance of the game fell to LSUA just three minutes into the game. Carey got caught in possession just outside their own box. The ball would fall to the feet of Pablo Dominguez de Leon just inside the Crusader box. Fortunately, Dominguez de Leon could only muster a tame shot on target that proved easy for Alex Molto in the Carey goal.
 
Carey had three chances of their own in the opening ten minutes, however LSUA keeper Ivan Capurro was equal to all of them. Daniel Mulero found himself one-on-one with the keeper but was shut down quickly by Capurro to make the save. Capurro would then be called into action to make a double save after some nice footwork from Selmane Azibi and again on the follow up shot from Bautista Curto. Mulero then fired a free kick straight into Capurro's grateful arms.
 
Little action over the next 15 minutes before Carey would find their next chance. Good build up play out of the back would allow the Crusaders to move the ball up the field. The ball found its way out to Azibi high on the left-hand side. A weaving dribble allowed Azibi to make his way into the box but his cross could only find the LSUA defender who cleared the ball to safety.
 
The Crusaders broke the deadlock after 32 minutes. Mulero jinked past one player before laying the ball off to Elias Salminen. Mulero appeared to be fouled as he made the pass and as the referee put the whistle to his lips, everyone appeared to stop as they thought the referee was about to blow for the foul. Before the referee could blow the whistle, Salminen saw his chance to put his foot through the ball and smash the ball low into the bottom right-hand corner from 30 yards out. Seeing Salminen striking the ball, the referee didn't blow the whistle and played the advantage, allowing the goal to stand and leaving the LSUA team staring in agony as they watched the ball sail into the back of the net.
 
Carey then could've added a second, and possibly a third, in the following two minutes. After some intense pressing from the Carey offense, Mulero found the ball at his feet in the center of the penalty area and fired low, but the shot was well saved by Capurro. Mulero then put the pressure on the keeper again not a minute later and nearly nicked the ball off Capurro's foot. Mulero was brought down in the process, but Capurro was deemed to have played the ball.
 
The Crusaders kicked off the second half with a couple of corners in the opening ten minutes but were unable to take advantage as both Lewis Green and Teddy Miranda headed over.
 
11 minutes into the second half and the Generals found their equalizer. Ben McCarron made a well-timed run in behind the Carey back line. Running away from goal, McCarron turned and played a hopeful cross into the box. The cross struck the arm of the recovering defender Lewis Green, and after some hesitation from the referee, pointed to the spot and awarded the penalty. Diego Cadabon stepped up and rifled the ball into the top right corner to level the score at 1-1.
 
Both teams would take turns fighting for dominance in the game, searching for that go-ahead goal. Both teams went back and forth on shots and corners with neither team able to make the decisive blow.
 
It wouldn't be until the final 9 minutes that the game-winning goal would come. Generals' midfielder Zac le Stavri goes one-on-one with the Carey defender down their right-hand side. A deflection allows the ball to fall to the feet of Paul Adler who takes fire and finds the bottom left corner via a deflection.
 
WCU went in search of a late equalizer but could only muster one more shot in the closing nine minutes, hitting a long-range free kick just past the right-hand post.
 
The Crusaders return to action on Tuesday, August 26^th. They begin a string of 11 straight home games as they host LSU Shreveport at Danny Owens Field. Game scheduled for 7:30 PM.