<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0wmaa2_0vlVzCwv00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0wmaa2_0vlVzCwv00" width="515" height="270" >It only took 38 seconds for Arizona soccer to win its Big 12 home opener. Well, it took the usual 90 minutes to complete the deal, but both goals were scored in the 21st minute just over 30 seconds apart in the Wildcats’ 2-0 defeat of Cincinnati.“It’s always better when you win,” said Arizona head coach Becca Moros. “Whatever happens, we’re gonna feel a little better.”After the team scored just two goals total in its first three Big 12 matches, midfielder Gianna Christiansen and forward Nyota Katembo found the back of the net at 20:10 and 20:48, respectively. That came after a point-blank shot by Katembo was saved by Bearcats goalkeeper Anna Rexford in the 19th minute.Christiansen continued to add to her career high in goals scored in a season with her fifth goal this year. She scored three goals as a junior last season. She one-upped that with her fourth goal this year last week at Baylor.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center">¡GOOOOLLLL!<a href="https://twitter.com/gchristiansenn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gchristiansenn</a> finds the back of the net to put us on the board! <a href="https://t.co/yZMPyfzdnY">pic.twitter.com/yZMPyfzdnY</a>— Arizona Soccer (@ArizonaSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArizonaSoccer/status/1839492845021069621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote>It was the second goal this year for Katembo. That is also a career high for goals in a season. She scored one goal as a sophomore two years ago.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center">BLINKED AND WE'RE UP 2-0 Nyota scores 38 seconds after Gianna! <a href="https://t.co/i65CisVg1r">https://t.co/i65CisVg1r</a><a href="https://t.co/Sxkas8K7oh">pic.twitter.com/Sxkas8K7oh</a>— Arizona Soccer (@ArizonaSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArizonaSoccer/status/1839493234210595098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote>Moros was pleased with the goals, but she didn’t think they were the best example of Arizona’s sound play.“I think the possession was good, our proximity around each other to be able to be clever,” Moros said. “We had a couple other chances that I might have liked more than the goals. As far as the soccer IQ pieces, the movement off of the ball, the way the players were playing together and aware of the spaces around them. But I think the energy was there. The following up on opportunities was there. The aggression was there.”Arizona was able to switch fields in its attacking third easily in the first half, often using more direct balls to pass from the right side to reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Week Zoe Mendiola on the left side. Mendiola found considerable space on the left side in the first half.“I think it was just how the game unfolded,” Christiansen said. “They came out and they almost had five in their back line. So that really allowed us to switch the ball so easily from right to left...or from left to right. In the second half, they came out and they stepped up so they were in like a five back. So we did have a little bit more pressure earlier on when our outside backs did get it, so I think that may have caused us not being able to switch the ball as freely. I think we still were able to, but that first half, it was really, really open just because our forwards had pinned them back. So it just really allowed our outside backs to go full and attack.” The game became more offensively challenging for the Wildcats in the second half, but Moros didn’t attribute that to a change of tactics on Arizona’s part or its two-goal lead. “We weren’t trying to be more defensive,” she said. “I think maybe just the momentum shift of the game and their energy coming out in the second half was strong, so I think we had to weather that a little bit.”Whether the point was to be more defensive or not, Arizona had more success shutting down Cincinnati’s offense in the second half. The Bearcats had three shots in the first half but didn’t take a single shot after halftime.The Wildcats were much more productive offensively than they were in their two Big 12 losses. They had just five shots against Utah in the conference opener. They matched their season low with three shots at TCU on Sunday. On Thursday, they had nine total shots against UC with those shots evenly spread over both halves (five in the first, four in the second).“I think TCU was the second-best team we played this year so far—Carolina being the top team we played so far,” Moros said. “So I think that was largely them doing a good job individually, very competitive, all good on the ball, good athletes, and also had good team tactics and good comfort in what they were trying to do.”The Wildcats improved to 7-3-1 on the season, surpassing their six wins last year. They need one more win to tie their best season under Moros. They are 2-2 in Big 12 play, just one win from tying last year’s conference wins in the Pac-12. They need three more wins to tie their best conference record of Moros’ tenure.They next face West Virginia, which is coming off four straight wins after defeating Arizona State on Thursday night. The Mountaineers are 8-2-1 overall and 4-0 in the league, although they have yet to play any of the top Big 12 teams. WVU’s best conference opponent was KU, which is tied with Arizona for sixth in the league.“I feel like given that during pre-season and the start of conference, we’ve been facing pretty difficult opponents and I feel like it challenged us and helped us figure out what we need to work on for the next games,” Mendiola said. “And like G said, just playing our game will get us through it.”Lead photo courtesy of Arizona Athletics</div></body>

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Arizona soccer defeats Cincinnati in Big 12 home opener

It only took 38 seconds for Arizona soccer to win its Big 12 home opener. Well, it took the usual 90 minutes to complete the deal, but both goals were scored in the 21st minute just over 30 seconds apart in the Wildcats’ 2-0 defeat of Cincinnati. “It’s always...