Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Tying four program records with a scintillating three-point performance, fifth-year striker Rakan Yassin led the MacEwan Griffins men's soccer team to its first win of the season on Friday night, 3-2 over the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack.

Yassin buried a PK in the 51^st minute, scored again in the 63^rd and set up Abhiroop Sandhu for the game-winner in the 87^th.

"He played well and led well from the front," said head coach Adam Loga. "He obviously showed why he's such a good player and he leads the lads by example and lights a fire for them, as well. 

"He got the lads going before the game and at half-time, as well. He came in and helped us find another level come that half."

The list of program records he tied hit four on the evening:

• The PK goal was the third of his career, matching Stefan Gajic's program record.

• He became the 11^th Griffins player to score twice in a Canada West game, which is the program mark.

• Yassin's pair of goals gives him 11 for his career, matching Everett Orgnero for the most by a Griffin

• With three points, he becomes just the second Griffins player to accomplish that in a Canada West game, tying Lahai Mansaray's program mark from 2017.

GOAL!
After Kayden Dugas was taken down in the box, Ricky Yassin converts on the PK to tie things up with @GoTRUWolfPack 1-1!
It's his third career regular season PK goal, tying him with Stefan Gajic for the @MacEwanGriffins record.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/RgAQf7cYHT

— MacEwan Griffins Men's Soccer (@GriffinsMSOC) September 14, 2024

"He's had a great career up to this point," said Loga. "We believe in the room that the best is yet to come. He's been consistent for us year in and year out. "

"Knowing him as long as I have, I know his goals come in bunches, so hopefully there is more to come."

Yassin returned to the lineup off a two-game suspension for receiving a red card in a post-game fracas following MacEwan's season opener in Lethbridge on Aug. 30. He was a man on fire.

GOAL!
It's Ricky Yassin again to put the @MacEwanGriffins up 2-1 in Kamloops!
Yassin becomes the 11th Griffin to score twice in a game and ties the program record with his 11th career goal.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/hSIQh1FXwA

— MacEwan Griffins Men's Soccer (@GriffinsMSOC) September 14, 2024

"Coming in focused," he said on what was working. "Obviously, we needed to focus on the task at hand, which was this game. Dealing with adversity, conceding early, we knew we had a lot of time left in the game to make something happen. We just stuck with it. 

"I believe in the guys around me and it took everyone from the back to the front to make things go our way tonight."

The win is MacEwan's first of the season and couldn't come at a better time after they opened the campaign 0-3-1.

"It's huge," said Yassin. "It's a great feeling for the guys. We had a bit of a rough start the first couple weekends here, but we're just taking it one game at a time. That was the message after the Dinos game. We had 10 games in front of us. 

"We're just taking it one game at a time. Hopefully, it's the first of many."

After Jonathan Rinaldi opened the scoring for TRU in the eighth minute, the Griffins stayed patient until the 51^stwhen Kayden Dugas was tripped in the box, setting up Yassin's PK. He hit the bottom right corner as TRU keeper Luca Ortu dove left.

Yassin scored again just over 12 minutes later when he took Dugas' pass and slotted it inside the left post.

GOAL!
Abhiroop Sandhu nets the game-winner with his first @CanadaWest goal!
And Ricky Yassin draws an assist for a three-point night in Kamloops as the Griffins win.
He's just the second @MacEwanGriffins MSOC player to post three points in a @USPORTS_Soccer match!#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/0Y4FXuG5Dd

— MacEwan Griffins Men's Soccer (@GriffinsMSOC) September 14, 2024

Second-year midfielder Abhiroop Sandhu hit the exact same spot in the 87^th after Yassin tapped a pass back to him at the top of the box. It was a special moment – his first career goal in Canada West.

"It was amazing.," said Loga. "He's been working so hard in training, climbing up the ladder, the depth chart, if you will. He had a great week of practice again and on Thursday, I said to my staff, 'I think he might be first off the bench come Friday night.' 

"We stuck to that process and he came in and made an immediate impact."

Abhiroop Sandhu entered the game in the 67th minute and scored the game-winning goal in the 87th (Andrew Snucins photo).

TRU's Ryan Olak scored in extra time and Oleksandr Popravka had to make a big save right at the end off a header to preserve his first Canada West win. He made four saves.

Next up for the Griffins is a visit to Prince George, B.C. on Sunday to meet the UNBC Timberwolves (3:30 p.m. MT, Canada West TV).