McKinney Chupacabras 1-0 Lubbock Matadors SC

McKinney Chupacabras 1-0 Lubbock Matadors SC

Chupacabras Keep Rolling After Narrow 1-0 Home Victory

McKinney forward Brayden Beason’s late first-half goal lifted the Chupacabras past Lubbock Matadors SC 1-0 Wednesday night at Ron Poe Stadium, keeping the club unbeaten to start the season.

The Chupacabras (4-0-0) have now won back-to-back matches by 1-0 scorelines, with Beason scoring the lone goal in both victories.

McKinney controlled much of the opening half and nearly found an early breakthrough in the third minute when midfielder Carson Burden’s curling effort struck the top-left corner of the frame. Six minutes later, defender Ty Reynolds delivered a cross into the box that found forward Brandon Fuenmayor, who made his club debut, but his header hit the outside of the net.

The Chupacabras continued to apply pressure throughout the half. Beason nearly opened the scoring in the 15th minute after breaking in alone on goal, but Lubbock goalkeeper Jamie Barry came up with a critical save. Beason threatened again in the 33rd minute before another Matadors foul set up a Burden free kick in the 37th minute, which Barry was able to stop.

After several missed chances, McKinney finally broke through in first-half stoppage time. Beason found the back of the net moments before halftime, giving the Chupacabras a 1-0 lead. It marked just the second time this season McKinney held a lead at the halfway mark.

The Chupacabras continued to push for a second goal after the break. Beason generated another chance in the 58th minute with a header that was comfortably saved before a physical stretch of play produced two yellow cards for the home side, with Beason booked in the 68th minute and Reynolds following one minute later.

McKinney appeared to double its lead in the 67th minute when Beason put the ball in the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Five minutes later, Beason again found himself through on goal and beat the goalkeeper, only for a recovering Lubbock defender to block the attempt and keep the Matadors’ deficit at one.

While McKinney searched for an insurance goal, goalkeeper Nathan Kinser was not heavily tested, making routine saves throughout the match to preserve the advantage. Lubbock’s best chance to equalize came in the 88th minute when the Matadors found the net, but the goal was waved off for offside.

The defense recorded its second consecutive shutout, something Chupacabras head coach Frank Yallop credited to the back line’s organization and discipline.

“Defensively, we’re not giving up easy chances, and we’re making it difficult for the opponent to get a good shot off,” Yallop said. “I thought our defenders were excellent at nullifying their attack and thought we did a great job of defending our box.”

The Chupacabras held on for the 1-0 victory, continuing a trend that has defined their season. All four of their wins have come by a single goal. Yallop said the narrow margins reflect the league's competitiveness.

“It just shows the talent in the league. All our games have been tight,” Yallop said. “The good news is that when it’s a tight game, we find a way to win, and that’s not easy to do.”

Yallop was also pleased with the home crowd’s energy.

“[The fans] get behind the team,” Yallop said. “The guys love playing in front of a good crowd. The players feed off the crowd’s energy and vice versa.”

McKinney will look to continue its winning ways when it travels to Midland to face West Texas FC (1-1-1), which defeated Texoma FC 2-1 on Wednesday night.

Words by Grayson Pitts.

Edited by Elliott Stockdale.