Arlington, Texas (July 31, 2022) – North Texas SC (10-5-3, 34 points) defeated Sporting KC II (7-10-2, 21 points) thanks to two goals from Bernard Kamungo and one from José Mulato Sunday night at Choctaw Stadium.
THE PATHWAY TO PRO
Jared Aguilar is the eighth FC Dallas Academy product to make his professional debut with North Texas SC. Academy players have played a total of 1,550 minutes in 35 appearances.
ASSIST MAN
Midfielder Hope Avayevu registered his seventh assist of the season with a long pass to Bernard Kamungo, tied for most in MLS NEXT Pro.
DOUBLE DIGITS
Forward Bernard Kamungo reached double digit goals for the first time in his career with his 10th and 11th strikes of the season, fifth-most in MLS Next Pro. The 20-year-old scored six goals in 23 games over his rookie 2021 season.
FIRST HALF LEADS
North Texas SC has a perfect 8-0-0 record in matches where it led at halftime in 2022. The club is also 5-0-0 when leading at halftime at Choctaw Stadium.
UP NEXT: NORTH TEXAS SC FACES PORTLAND TIMBERS 2 AWAY
North Texas SC will travel to face Portland Timbers 2 on Sunday, Aug. 7 at 9PM at Hillsboro Stadium. North Texas earned a 2-1 win in the previous meeting on June 11 at Choctaw Stadium.
Lineups
North Texas SC — Antonio Carrera; Collin Smith (Will Baker — 84’), Alejandro Araneda, Paul Amedume, Isaiah Parker; Jared Aguilar, Tomas Lacerda (Blake Pope — 78’), André Costa (Santiago Ferreira — 84’); Bernard Kamungo, José Mulato (Pablo Torre — 84’), Hope Avayevu (Luis Cardoso — 66’).
Substitutes not used — Felipe Carneiro, Chase Niece, Derek Waldeck, Tarik Scott.
Sporting KC II — Carlito Saylon; Matthew Fisher (Michael Lenis — 64’), Esai Ease, Jahon Rad, Spencer Glass (Collin Fernandez — 73’); Curtez Kellman, Jacob Davis, Edgar Bazan (Guy Michaeli — 65’); Josh Coan (Ryan Reid — 84’), Bakary Bagayoko, Joseph Tetteh (Nati Clarke — 73’).
Substitutes not used — Matthew Hudson, Kian Alberto, Nicholas Pendleton, Tijani Fatah.
Scoring Summary:
NTX: Bernard Kamungo (Hope Avayevu) — 7’
NTX: José Mulato (André Costa) — 57’
NTX: Bernard Kamungo (Isaiah Parker) — 68’
Misconduct Summary:
NTX: Collin Smith (caution) — 35’
SKC: Curtez Kellman (caution) — 50’
NTX: André Costa (caution) — 61’
NTX: Tomas Lacerda (caution) — 72’
SKC: Guy Michaeli (caution) — 82’
Weather: Sunny, 100℉
Attendance: 693
Referee: Brandon Queri
Assistant Referees: Samuel Zamora (1), Jay Norris (2)
Fourth official: Emily Gomez
North Texas SC Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah
General thoughts on the match…
“We started the game well, we started on the front foot and got an early goal. From there it was a little bit of a chess game but we slowed down a little bit. We saw the first half and responded well in the second half. After not winning four games, the boys may have been in their own heads but their mental focus and what they’ve been giving this week was fantastic. I’m very, very proud of the performance because it was a great team performance. And when you haven’t been winning that’s what you look for. We told them that today was very important and that we work together as a group to finish off the month of July because it hasn’t been nice to us. Them going through these adversities is great for their careers and who they are as people as well. This is what we’re trying to teach them and these are the experiences that they’ll learn from and get better at.”
On midfielder Jared Aguilar’s professional debut…
“We’ve had confidence in Aguilar since the first day that we saw him. For us, it’s not about your age, it’s about your responsibility. Because that’s what shows how mature you are. But also his understanding of the game. He’s a player that is very mature for his young age, reads the game well, keeps it simple. He’s not trying to overcomplicate the game. We always knew what he had but given the circumstances, he’s never had an opportunity. But sometimes in the game, you just chuck him in. We believe in them and we know what they’re capable of in football. For us as coaches, it’s not a surprise because we’re working with them every day. He’s a very humble kid, he always lets his feet do the talking. Today he deserved to play and there was no reason to take him out because he was fantastic in the midfield.”
Midfielder Bernard Kamungo
General thoughts on the match…
“You could see the work that the team put in. We stayed together and were compact in the first half and second half. Overall, our performance was better compared to the last few games we’ve played.”
On preparing for this game…
“Since Monday, when we started training, we were putting in the work. The team got tired of losing, so we just kept pushing each other. Through today’s game, you can see the work and we were fighting.”
Midfielder Jared Aguilar
On making his professional debut…
“Early in the game, it felt a bit difficult to adapt and get in rhythm. We stayed calm on the ball and within the team. I was able to direct my teammates wherever they needed to be. It felt great and we were able to come away with the win.”
The difference between the youth level and professional level…
“It’s quite the difference level wise, when I was playing for the Academy I did not think I would be here today. Academy level is lower than the pro level and I am still getting used to the rhythm of the game. Overall I feel like it was a great first 90 minutes I’ve played so far. We will continue to work hard during the week to keep improving.”
