MINNEAPOLIS — Playing with just 10 men for the majority of the game, the Augsburg University men's soccer team claimed a 2-0 victory over the College of St. Scholastica in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Friday at Edor Nelson Field. Despite playing a man down for the final 78 minutes, Augsburg outshot St. Scholastica by a 14-11 margin, including a 7-4 advantage in shots on goal. The Saints only held a 51-to-49% possession advantage in the game.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 2, St. Scholastica 0
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 4-2-7 overall (3-2-3 MIAC), St. Scholastica 7-7-0 overall (4-3-0 MIAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Auggies opened the scoring in the 12th minute, with
Liam Paradiso finishing off an assist from
Christopher Plaza Alvarado for a 1-0 lead at 11:14. Plaza Alvarado gained the ball 30 yards from the goal, and fed the ball forward to Paradiso, who scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season in the 18-yard box. Earlier, Augsburg had already put pressure on St. Scholastica with saved shots by Paradiso and
Gio Casias and a corner kick in the opening 10 minutes. The same minute as the goal included a red card, and the Auggies then absorbed Saints looks that included shots in the 17th, 22nd and 27th minutes before
Finnur Mercier saved a shot in the 33rd. Augsburg pushed again late in the half, earning corner kicks at 35:34 and 41:43 and getting attempts from
Jackson Nichols-Lindsey,
Dailan Bangu and Plaza Alvarado before taking the 1-0 lead into halftime.
The key second-half breakthrough came at 52:31, when Casias finished
Liam Paradiso's assist to move the home side ahead 2-0 after Mercier had saved a St. Scholastica shot less than a minute earlier. Paradiso gained his footing with the ball in the low right corner of the 18-yard box, and crossed the ball through the goal mouth and past the Saints' goalkeeper, leaving Casias with a wide-open shot for his second goal of the year.
The Auggies kept pushing immediately after the goal, earning corner kicks at 53:56 and 54:52 around an
Anson Karn shot before Casias sent another attempt high at 55:18. The Saints generated chances later in the half, but Mercier saved shots at 67:01 and 74:04, and Augsburg also put late attempts on frame through Bangu and Paradiso that Afonso Silva stopped. The closing minutes became physical, with multiple Augsburg fouls and yellow cards during a stretch that also included a St. Scholastica red card at 89:28, and the Auggies finished off the 2-0 win.
Paradiso scored the game-winning goal, added an assist and put all three of his shots on goal. Casias scored on two shots on goal and led Augsburg with five total shots. Plaza Alvarado recorded an assist and added one shot. Mercier made four saves over 90 minutes and claimed his fourth individual shutout of the season, as Augsburg scored its sixth clean sheet of the year.
QUOTES FROM AUGSBURG COACH GREG HOLKER
"To be down a man for 78 minutes and compete like we did, carrying the game for large spells, and for defending as well as we did, I'm so proud of the guys. We navigated some shocking decisions and found a way to persevere. Hopefully, that is a sign of things to come."
Christopher Plaza Alvarado was tremendous tonight, and
Gio Casias was a man possessed -- he worked so hard on both sides of the ball and was totally committed to the team tonight.
Liam Paradiso created two goals and was an absolute hunter -- he competed like a seasoned vet out there. Also, it was important to see the positive reaction from
Finnur Mercier after Tuesday; he proved he's for real with his professionalism and determination to bounce back."
"That was an important MIAC win. They all are, but we needed some momentum heading into the final two games of the MIAC schedule."
UP NEXT
Augsburg travels to Arden Hills, Minn., to face Bethel University in a MIAC contest on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, at 3:30 p.m.
