No. 12 Gulf Coast blanks Bears 6-0
No. 12 Mississippi Gulf Coast took another step toward hosting a men's soccer playoff game Friday by blasting Southwest Mississippi 6-0 at Summit.
"We played really well," Gulf Coast coach Chris Handy said. "As a group, they were clicked on and focused and trying to prepare themselves for what lays ahead. More than most games, they were focused on play-to-play instead of trying to get the end. That resulted in better soccer."
Gulf Coast (9-5, 7-2 MACCC South), which has already clinched a playoff berth, will likely need a win or tie Tuesday in the regular-season finale at home against Pearl River to lock up second in the division. Jones, which hosted Meridian later Friday and travels to Copiah-Lincoln on Tuesday, is a game back but holds the tiebreaker over the Bulldogs.
The second-place team in each division hosts the opposite third-place squad. Pearl River has already clinched the South Division title, and Gulf Coast will be trying to hand them their first loss of the year.
Witwise Akyeano (Fr., Milton Keynes, England/St. Paul's Catholic) scored in the 18th minute with a header, then assisted on a goal by Pacey Johnson (Fr., Hattiesburg/Oak Grove) a minute later.
That margin stayed through halftime, with Fabien Barker (So., Madison/Madison Central) adding a goal in the 64th minute. Ivan Gonzalez (Fr., Olive Branch/Center Hill) curled in a goal in the 76th minute, and Hyungjoon Lee (Fr., Suwon, South Korea/Dongbuk) added a penalty in the 81st minute.
Ronaldo Lopez (Fr., Gautier/Gautier) closed out the scoring in the 85th minute with his first goal of the season.
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