Central gets the upper hand on Augustana men’s soccer team

PELLA- Two goals in a five-minute span late in the second half garnered a victory for the Central College men’s soccer team against Augustana College Friday afternoon.

After a scoreless first half, the Vikings (0-1-0) got the scoring started in the 50th minute. Central answered nearly 25 minutes later when Cooper Collins (junior, Clive, Waukee Northwest HS) volleyed a ball into the box towards the waiting head of Lucas De la Cuba (freshman, Lucas De la Cuba, Lima, Peru, Ankeny Centennial [Iowa] HS) to level the score at 1-1.

In the 79th minute, Central drew a penalty kick courtesy of a handball in the box. Mason Simmons (junior, Springfield, Ill.) buried it to give the Dutch a 2-1 lead they did not relinquish.

Central outshot Augustana 17-7 but the Vikings put four of their seven shots on frame, forcing Morgan Finkenbinder (junior, Elkhorn, Neb., Skutt Catholic HS) to make three saves in net for the Dutch.

Central plays in Duluth, Minnesota at the College of Saint Scholastica at noon on Sunday.