WASHINGTON - A trio of spectacular goals from Sebastian Garces, Reyes Parra, and Nicholas Beil propelled the American University men's soccer team to a 3-1 win over Army on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles played some of their best soccer of the season to earn their fourth straight win, showing excellent form as they move to 3-0 in Patriot League play.  

Notable

• Garces took the most points away from the day with three, scoring his second goal of the season and picking up his first assist on Beil's goal. Mustapha Sowe recorded the helper on Garces's goal, his second of the year. 
• Parra's goal was the first of the junior's career, and Taku Takahashi picked his team-leading third assist of the season on the strike. 
• The freshman Beil netted his second goal of the season, finding twine for the first time since the season opener against Cal Baptist. Chris Sullivan picked up the second assist on the goal, the first of the sophomore's career. 
• Three of AU's five shots on goal found the back of the net on an efficient attacking day. The defense allowed just three shots on goal as well, the second-lowest mark this season. 
• In all four games of their winning streak, the Eagles have committed less fouls than their opponent and have yet to be carded. They were whistled for six fouls today, compared to nine for Army. 
• American is now 4-4-1 overall. 

How it Happened

• The Eagles were on the front foot from the start, planting their flag in the attacking third and pushing the Black Knights on their heels in the opening stage of the match. They generated four corner kicks before 15 minutes ticked off the clock. 
• The first breakthrough came in the 24th minute when AU capitalized on an Army turnover.
• In the opposing half, Garces pounced on a misplayed ball by Miles Hadley and passed it to Mustapha Sowe. Garces made a run towards goal as Sowe one-touched a well-weighted ball to him in the box, and the senior midfielder buried his shot to the bottom left corner of the net. The clever connection created by on-ball pressure put AU out in front in a flash. 
• The visitors had an answer in the final minute of the half, capitalizing on a rebound chance after a diving save from Matthew Tibbets. Brantley Wiggington flicked a shot through traffic in the box that was met by the outstretched AU keeper at the bottom right corner, and Kasem Minzey was right there to clean up the rebound and finish on the open net. At the end of a half largely controlled by American, the score was tied 1-1. 
• The Eagles responded with an excellent second half of soccer, beginning with a scintillating strike from Reyes Parra in the 59th minute. 
• After Takahashi played the ball back to Parra at the top left side of the box, he let go a beautiful bending shot that spun into the top right corner of the net. A highlight-reel goal, it was the first of the junior midfielder's career. 
• American allowed just one Army shot before Beil netted the third and final goal 15 minutes later.
• At the tail end of a controlled spell of possession, Chris Sullivan fed the ball to Garces at the top of the box. He poked the ball forward through tight space to Beil, who played the ball with his back to goal, volleyed it to himself, and turned and rocketed his shot to the top of the frame. 
• After the exclamation point from the freshman forward, the Eagles finished the match professionally on the defensive end. They allowed just two shots that were off target, putting a tight seal on a dominant half of play. 

Up Next

• AU is on the road next week, first at William & Mary on Tuesday, Sept. 30, then at Lafayette on Saturday, Oct. 4 to return to Patriot League play. 

Keep up With Us

• For the latest on American University men's soccer and to receive in-game updates, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on X (@AU_MSoccer) and Instagram (@au.msoccer).