Lubbock Matadors SC 1-1 McKinney Chupacabras
Lubbock Matadors SC 1-1 McKinney Chupacabras
McKinney Bounces Back With Road Point Against Lubbock
McKinney Chupacabras FC bounced back from its first loss of the season Wednesday night, earning a 1-1 draw against Lubbock Matadors SC at Lowrey Field at PlainsCapital Park.
McKinney (6-2-1) was shorthanded, with backup goalkeeper Ryder Claborn making the start between the posts as the Chupacabras concluded a stretch of three matches in five days.
Despite missing key contributors, head coach Frank Yallop was left frustrated by the result.
“The way the game unfolded, it’s a bit of a disappointing night,” Yallop said.
Lubbock (4-4-1) controlled much of the first half and repeatedly found space through the middle of the field.
The Matadors nearly opened the scoring in the 18th minute when midfielder Roope Salo struck a shot from more than 30 yards out, forcing Claborn into a save. Five minutes later, defender Matthew Reed tested the goalkeeper again from distance, but Claborn answered with a diving stop to keep the match scoreless.
The Chupacabras’ best early opportunity came in the seventh minute when Aubry Eason delivered a low cross to his brother Tucker Eason, whose shot was deflected out for a corner kick.
The breakthrough came in the 34th minute.
Goalkeeper Jamie Barry launched a deep ball over the top of the McKinney defense, finding Momo Diop behind the back line. Diop headed the ball over the onrushing Claborn before finishing into the open net for his Ranger Division-leading sixth goal of the season and a 1-0 Lubbock lead.
The visitors nearly found an equalizer in first-half stoppage time when Aubry Eason delivered a corner kick into the box, but Keane Cobuzio was unable to make clean contact.
McKinney needed only three minutes after halftime to pull level.
Defender Aiden Ussery found Cobuzio with a pass in the 48th minute, and the forward buried his second goal of the season to tie the match at 1-1.
The match shifted in McKinney’s favor in the 58th minute when Reed was shown a second yellow card and sent off, giving the Chupacabras a man advantage for the final half hour.
“Once they went to 10 men, we took our foot off the gas a little bit, and didn’t use the ball well,” Yallop said.
McKinney pushed for a winner but could not find a breakthrough. Tucker Eason headed a free-kick opportunity wide in the 63rd minute, while Nazeem Bartman, making his club debut, nearly gave the Chupacabras the lead in the 66th minute after taking a pass from Aubry Eason, but Barry made the save.
Ousmane Fall threatened for the Matadors moments later, sending an acrobatic effort just over the crossbar.
The man advantage made it a frustrating night for McKinney, which created chances but could not turn its control into a winning goal.
“We missed opportunities to be better in the final third,” Yallop said. “If you do that, it’s about the same as making a mistake in the back if you don’t punish them when you should.”
Brady Schumacher narrowly missed the target in the 89th minute as McKinney continued to search for a late winner.
Lubbock nearly stole all three points in stoppage time, but Claborn came off his line in the 93rd minute to deny Steven Hernandez in a one-on-one opportunity and preserve the draw.
Wednesday night’s result means McKinney no longer controls its own destiny for the division crown. The Chupacabras hold only a two-point lead over Denton Diablos, who sit in second place. However, Yallop is not focused on the other clubs.
“It should be about us,” Yallop said. “We’re looking at getting three wins to finish the season out. That’s the plan.”
The Chupacabras now have a week off before returning to action on July 1 against Fort Worth Vaqueros FC. McKinney has won both previous meetings between the clubs this season, including a 7-1 victory in Fort Worth on June 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
“We’ll lick our wounds, get ready, and then hopefully have a great result next Wednesday,” Yallop said. “But it’s not going to be easy.”
Words by Grayson Pitts.
Edited by Elliott Stockdale.