PORTLAND, Ore. – In their season opener in front of over 2,000 fans at Merlo Field, the Portland Pilots defeated the Air Force Falcons 2-0. It puts the Pilots at 1-0-0 to start the year.
Sebastian Nava and Buba Fofanah were the two Pilots to score on the night. Nava's goal marked the first of his career as a Pilot while Fofanah's strike was his fifth.
The Pilots didn't wait long to get on the board, scoring in the eighth minute. Kevin Bonilla had the ball at the top of the box and had his pass deflected to Nava. The freshman winger collected himself just to the left of the box and launched a shot through a barrier of Falcons defenders and past Kainoa Likewise for his first goal as a Pilot. Portland led 1-0.
Portland stayed on the offensive for most of the half. They utilized their speed to generate several open chances at the goal. Air Force was solid defensively, but the pressure the Pilots put on the Falcons put Air Force on their heels.
The Falcons regained some semblance of control as the half progressed. They managed to put together a few opportunities off set pieces, but grad transfer George Tasouris was solid in the goal and let nothing past him. His stellar defense helped the Pilots hold a 1-0 lead at the half.
The second half started and while the Pilots looked solid, the Falcons looked more controlled. They played a possession-based style and were patient in their buildup, making short, precise passes in hopes of slowly working their way towards the goal. It made things slightly more difficult on the Pilots, but once again, Tasouris let nothing by him.
The Pilots' counterattack was too strong, with their speed paying dividends in the 60
th minute. Fofanah worked it to Luke Hendel, who played it back to Fofanah in the box. The sophomore forward crossed over an Air Force defender and took a shot that found the back of the goal. The shot made it 2-0 Portland.
After the goal, it just became a matter of running down the clock. The Pilots would take their home and season opener 2-0.
Next up, the Pilots will be back home for a matchup against the Denver Pioneers. That match is set for Monday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for tickets as well as for live stat and video options.
