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A Rams soccer player looks up the field for someone to pass the ball to.
Photo by Curtis Martin

Soccer (M) Christina Flores-Chan

Division title up for grabs as Rams battle McMaster to close regular season

TORONTO - The Rams men's soccer team stands at the top of the OUA Central division with a 7-1 record, and they'll be fighting for the division title this week as they face off against the McMaster Marauders, who trail close behind them in second place.

Coming off a series sweep against the Laurentian Voyageurs and extending their winning streak to six games, this will be the team's last series of the regular season. As the Rams inch closer and closer to clinching a No. 1 seed playoff berth, the Marauders' similar skill strengths and looming 6-1-1 record presents the team with their biggest challenge yet.

Offensively, the Rams are a menace to the rest of the division. They've consistently proved that on the pitch, keeping possession of the ball and driving the game towards the opponent's net with controlled passing in tight spaces. Leading the division and ranking third in the league for their shots-per-game average, the team takes 12.8 shots compared to their opponents' average of five.

McMaster, however, trails hard on their heels with 12.6 average shots per game. The Marauders also lead the league in both goals scored (30) and their average of 3.750 goals per game, where the Rams falter to fourth with 23 goals and a 2.875 goals per game average.

On the defensive end, the Rams have the slightest lead on save percentage (.815) to McMaster's .769, but it's fair to say that these two teams spend the majority of their game time on the opposite side of the field, preventing their opponents from taking chances at the net.

Fans should keep an eye out for Rams top scorers Abdallah El-Chanti and Zakaria Abdi, who rank fourth in the league in goals (7) and second in the league in shots (28), respectively. On the Marauders, Dusan Kovacevic is the player to watch, with 12 goals and 25 shots in eight games this season.

As the top two teams in the OUA Central gear up to take the pitch at Downsview Park on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and finish the series off on Sunday in Hamilton, the Rams will be looking to bring the division title back home with them. 
 
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Players Mentioned

Zakaria Abdi

#9 Zakaria Abdi

F
6' 5"
1
Abdallah El-Chanti

#10 Abdallah El-Chanti

MF
5' 7"
5

Players Mentioned

Zakaria Abdi

#9 Zakaria Abdi

6' 5"
1
F
Abdallah El-Chanti

#10 Abdallah El-Chanti

5' 7"
5
MF