Graceland Men’s Soccer Pushes No. 22 Central Methodist in 2-1 Loss at Home
LAMONI, Iowa — Graceland University men's soccer battled nationally ranked No. 22 Central Methodist University to a narrow 2-1 defeat on Saturday afternoon in Heart of America Athletic Conference play at Mediacom Stadium. Despite falling behind twice, the Yellowjackets delivered a high-tempo performance with 15 total shots and a second-half equalizer that kept the match competitive until the final minutes.
With the result, Graceland moves to 3-7-1 overall and 2-5 in the Heart, while Central Methodist improves to 7-2-4 overall and 4-1-3 in conference play.
The contest was Graceland's first match of the regular season, and it came against one of the top-ranked teams in the NAIA. Ten freshmen featured in the Yellowjackets' lineup, underscoring the youth and long-term potential of this year's squad.
Mario Salinas scored Graceland's lone goal in the 54th minute, converting a penalty after drawing a foul in the box. The goal came just seven minutes after Central Methodist took the lead on a penalty of their own, scored by Koen Schimmel at the 47:05 mark.
Salinas was active in the final third, leading all players with six total shots, including three on target. He nearly added a second goal in the 82nd minute, forcing a save from CMU goalkeeper Niccolo Cabras, who ended the match with four saves.
Graceland outshot Central Methodist 15-6 overall and 5-2 in shots on goal, while also winning the corner kick battle 8-5. Guillermo Tejada provided additional attacking presence with three shots, including a powerful strike in the 58th minute that ricocheted off the crossbar.
Freshmen Kaden Edwards, Alex Iossa, and Ashton Adrian also contributed multiple shots, while midfielders Cale Williams and Samuel Steiner supported both ends of the field. The Graceland back line — featuring Adam Wiman, David Hopfer, and Andrew Porter — kept Central Methodist without a shot on goal in the first half.
The visitors eventually broke the deadlock with Schimmel's penalty, but the Yellowjackets responded quickly. Salinas stepped up in the 54th minute and calmly placed his penalty beyond Cabras to level the score at 1-1.
The second half remained intense, with tactical fouls, midfield turnovers, and momentum shifts on both ends. Graceland generated sustained pressure between the 65th and 85th minutes, earning three corner kicks and testing Cabras again on a curling attempt by Salinas and a low-driven shot from Iossa.
But in the 87th minute, Alvin Brämhagen broke the tie with a solo effort that beat Graceland goalkeeper Yuta Hirano, who had otherwise managed the game well despite not recording a save. The goal proved to be the match-winner, giving Central Methodist the road result.
Post-match, head coach Bryan Courtney acknowledged the challenge of facing a top-ranked opponent and highlighted the significance of the performance for his team's development.
"Today was a tough challenge. To open the season against the No. 22-ranked team in the country with 10 freshmen in our program was a great early test to evaluate our ability to compete at the highest level," Courtney said. "We have a lot of work to accomplish in the coming weeks, but we are proud of the way we battled back and found a way to put some ball in the back of the net."
In addition to the penalty goal, Graceland came close to pulling even again in the closing moments, earning a corner in the 89th minute and forcing CMU to clear out multiple loose balls in the box. The match ended with Graceland pressing forward, but time expired before they could find a second equalizer.
Discipline was a factor throughout, with four yellow cards issued — three to CMU players and one to Graceland's Juan Gelves, who exited the match late after a hard challenge.
The midfield pairing of Williams and Steiner showed control in possession during stretches of the second half, while Tejada and Salinas continued to demonstrate their attacking chemistry with combination play on the flanks and inside channels.
Though the Yellowjackets came away without points, the outing signaled promise for the rest of the campaign, particularly as younger players settle into their roles and game rhythm.
NEXT MATCH:
Graceland will travel to Canton, Missouri, for a Heart of America road contest against Culver-Stockton College on Wednesday, Oct. 15. Kickoff is set for 7:30 PM CDT at Poulton Stadium.
For more information on Graceland men's soccer and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.