(ANTIGONISH, NS) – The X-Men opened the 2022 AUS regular season with a 2-0 win over the Acadia Axemen in a Friday night match at StFX Stadium.

Fans in attendance were treated to an exciting, albeit physical match, which saw the Axemen play with 10 men for most of the game. Only four minutes in, Nathan Amoah-Gyekye (Lower Sackville, NS) received a red card and was ejected from the match following a dangerous tackle. The game remained intense for the full 90 minutes, with the referee awarding five additional yellow cards - four to the X-Men and one to Acadia.

In the opening minutes of the match, the X-Men quickly posed an offensive threat, nearly scoring two goals until both were ruled offsides. After a series of unlucky chances, X-Men midfielder Kyle Cordeiro (Oakville, ON) netted his first goal of the match in the 39^th minute.

Entering the second half, both teams fought hard to earn more goals. Acadia forward Toni Adeoye (Dartmouth, NS) and midfielder Oscar Marshall (Lake Loon, NS) were two players who continuously put pressure on the StFX backline, though their chances were unable to find the back of the net.

The X-Men secured their win in the 72^nd minute as Cordeiro scored his second goal of the match off a corner kick from Logan Rieck (Cambridge, ON).

Kyle Cordeiro received Subway Player of the Game honours for the X-Men, while forward Toni Adeoye (Dartmouth, NS) was named Player of the Game for the Axemen.

The X-Men return to the field on Sunday as they welcome the UPEI Panthers to StFX Stadium.

The Axemen will return home for a Sunday match against the Memorial Sea-Hawks.

Both games kick-off at 3:15pm.

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Recap courtesy Alyssa Spridgeon, STFX Sports Information

Kyle Cordeiro picks up Subway Player of the Game honours with both goals in the X-Men's 2-0 home opener victory against Acadia! #goxgo pic.twitter.com/VtGF05fCUD

— StFX Athletics (@StFXAthletics) September 10, 2022