Mehdi Badache continued his hot streak at home with two more goals and Kebba Nyang added three assists on Tuesday night as SBCC blasted Moorpark 5-1 in a WSC men’s soccer match at La Playa Stadium.
Badache has seven goals in his last three home games for the Vaqueros, who improved to 5-7-1 overall and 4-3-1 in the WSC. Santa Barbara has scored 17 goals in the last five games after getting just eight in the first eight games.
Moorpark (0-8-3, 0-7-1) struck first when Wyatt Pilcher scored in the 8th minute. The Vaqueros tied it in the 21st minute on one of the nicest goals of the season. Simon Sebbah led Nyang with a pass toward the end line and Nyang centered it to Badache, who scored from close range.
Badache, a 6-foot-6 forward from Tunisia, put SBCC ahead to stay in the 34th minute. Nyang used his quickness to race up the right sideline and made a great cross to set up an 8-yard score by Badache.
“I’ve only seen one guy faster than me this year and he was from Glendale,” said Nyang, a 5-8 midfielder from Sweden. “This is the first time I’ve played with a striker this tall. It’s interesting because he’s always there and he’s always in the right spot.
“We’re starting to play together as a team and every game, we get stronger.”
Three minutes later, Jonathan Mora found the net from 22 yards away on a rebound of a shot by Napoleon Bergstroem. It was Mora’s third goal in two games and gave the Vaqueros a 3-1 halftime lead.
SBCC outshot the Raiders 28-6 and had 14 shots on goal while allowing only three.
In the 53rd minute, Nyang made another nice run up the right side, flipping the ball over a defender in the process, and crossed it to Kieron Coleman, who scored to make it 4-1. In the 75th minute, Mora delivered a pass to Erik Winnberg, who beat the keeper from close range.
The Vaqueros tied their season high with five goals.
“I wasn’t concerned when we fell behind early because we were playing well,” said coach John Sisterson. “I was disappointed to go a goal down but the boys responded with a bang.
“Kebba is very quick, he loves to get up and down the flank and he’s dangerous with his service. Jonathan played very well in midfield. He moves the ball around, he’s quick, he likes to get forward and he never stops working.”
Sophomore forward Omar Montalvo suffered an injury late in the first half and never returned. Tristan Cooper saw his first time in goal this year, replacing Oscar Haard-Thelm in the 73rd minute.
The Vaqueros have a bye on Friday, then start the second half of conference by hosting Hancock on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
