Twins work together to tie soccer game

Marco Alvarez scored a goal with help from his brother, Jorge. — Photo: Steve Woltmann

Marco Alvarez scored the game-tying goal in the second half of play Saturday to help the men’s soccer team (1-1-1) clinch a 1-1 tie with Butler (2-0-1) at Flames Field. Alvarez’s goal was assisted by his twin brother, Jorge Alvarez, marking the first such sequence of their collegiate careers.

The Flames compete in the UAB Classic Friday and Saturday, beginning with a match versus host UAB at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Birmingham, Ala. UIC takes on Georgia State at noon Saturday.

During Saturday’s match, Flames and Bulldogs were evenly matched statistically, each firing off 15 shots with four on goal through 110 minutes of play. Marco Alvarez put up a team-high three shots, followed by Jorge Alvarez, Oscar Gonzalez and Kyle Hamann with two each. Joel Leon, Gonzalez and Sasha Simon also had shots on goal.

Not many chances came in the first 45 as UIC had two shots and Butler tallied three. Following the first shot
of the game in the 12th minute by Nestor Garcia that went wide, Jorge Alvarez had his chance blocked seven minutes later. The Bulldogs threatened in the 21st minute, when they drew a foul outside the top of the box and
had their free kick blocked by the defensive wall.

Both teams got on the board in the second half as UIC took nine shots and Butler had eight. The Bulldogs scored the first goal in the 56th minute. The Flames responded 14 minutes later in the 70th minute as the Alvarez twins connected, with Marco finishing on a cross from Jorge for his first goal of the season and second as a Flame.

UIC and Butler put up four shots in two overtime periods. The Flames had three quality chances in the final three minutes of the first overtime from Gonzalez, Thomas Villamil and Abel Guzman.

Andrew Putna made three saves in the game.