CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's soccer team kicked off the 2023 season with a convincing 2-0 victory over Winthrop on Monday night at Dickson Field. The physical battle between the programs separated by 21 miles featured 36 fouls and nine yellow cards.

Scoring Summary
15' – QUEENS – Samuel Idinge (Assist Mario Goic)
21' – QUEENS – Mario Goic (Unassisted)
 
Turning Point
The turning point of the evening happened in the 15^th minute as the Royals earned their first corner kick opportunity of the season. Senior Mario Goic sent a beautiful touch into the box finding junior Samuel Idinge for a header into the left corner of the net. Just six minutes later, the physical match granted the Royals a free kick from the top of the box which Mario Goic buried into the top right corner of the cage for the 2-0 lead.
 
Key Stats & Notes

• Junior Samuel Idinge netted his second career goal on a header in the 15^th minute. The early goal was the Royals first of the young season.
• After finishing second on the team in points last season, senior Mario Goic returned to peak form with an assist and goal on the night. The 21st-minute goal was the fifth of his career as he finished the night with five shots.
• Between the pipes, sophomore Javier Izquierdo-Cuervo turned in his second career clean sheet. The Gijon, Spain native faced 10 shots picking up four saves.
• Making their first career starts in a Royals uniform, Roberto Alvarez and Giuliano Lucca put together outstanding debuts that featured shots on goal for both.
• Offensively, both squads finished the evening with 10 shots and four on target.
• Five Royals, including Samuel Idinge, Oskar Wolf, Pantelis Panteli, Javier Izquierdo-Cuervo, and Nathan Tossi turned in 90-minute performances.
• The opening night shutout marked the Royals sixth in Division 1.

 
Up Next
Queens will remain at home and welcome UNC Asheville next Friday, September 1^st for a 6:00 p.m. kick-off at Dickson Field. The Royals and Bulldogs will meet for the second time after Queens upended UNC Asheville last season on the road.

Social Media
Be sure to follow the Queens Women's Soccer team on Twitter and Instagram throughout the 2023 season to get the latest news and updates. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok to keep up with all the Royals in action.