Alex Cerritos scores first league goal of the season as Corpus Christi earns draw on the road
Corpus Christi, Texas (May 20, 2026) — Corpus Christi FC delivered one of its strongest road performances of the season Wednesday night, battling back to earn a 1-1 draw against Fort Wayne FC at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium.
Assistant coach Manny Iwabuchi said the result showed the continued growth of the squad against one of the league’s top-performing sides.
“For us to come in here to this place and to get a point I think was a big result for us,” Iwabuchi said.
Facing a Fort Wayne side that entered the night unbeaten in four straight USL League One matches, the Sharks matched the hosts throughout a physical and tightly contested opening half. Corpus Christi generated early pressure through Jake Keegan and Bubu Medina while remaining organized defensively against stretches of Fort Wayne possession.
After a scoreless first half, Fort Wayne eventually found the breakthrough shortly after halftime when Tiago Dias headed home a cross from Javier Armas in the 50th minute to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Corpus Christi responded quickly.
After conceding, the Sharks regrouped and found an equalizer in the 63rd minute when Alex Cerritos, moments after entering as a substitute, scored his first USL League One goal of the season with a low finish off a pass from Nacho Abeal to level the match at 1-1. Abeal’s assist marked his second of the season, tied for the team lead.
The response after falling behind reflected the resilience shown throughout the match.
“We were very disappointed in the way we conceded the first goal but as a group we regrouped and it showed the type of character to come back so quick and stay in the game,” defender Jack Keaney said.
Iwabuchi echoed that sentiment after the match, praising the mentality the group showed after conceding on the road.
“We went down 1-0, felt like it was a bit unfair,” Iwabuchi said. “For us to be able to show the resiliency to come back into the game and put ourselves in a position to tie, I thought spoke very highly of the boys.”
The match shifted again in the 72nd minute when Bubu Medina received his second yellow card, forcing Corpus Christi to defend the remainder of the match with 10 men.
Fort Wayne applied heavy pressure over the closing stages, but the Sharks remained disciplined defensively and held firm to secure the road point against a playoff-positioned opponent.
Captain Patrick Langlois said the group’s resilience late in the match reflected the progress continuing within the squad.
“It was a tough game on the road, but definitely a point in the right direction,” Langlois said. “To see everyone show resilience not only when we went a goal down but when we went down a man is very positive.”
The draw extends Fort Wayne’s unbeaten streak to five matches while giving Corpus Christi momentum heading into Saturday’s home matchup against One Knoxville SC at Cabaniss Athletic Complex.
About Corpus Christi FC
CCFC was established in 2017 by Dr. Kingsley Okonkwo. The club previously played in USL League Two, the nation’s leading pre-professional league, and won their first Lone Star Division title in 2024. That same year, Corpus Christi was awarded a USL League One franchise and will kick off its first professional season in 2026. CCFC is building a new home at the Corpus Christi Multi-Sport Complex currently being constructed at 5102 Old Brownsville Road. Phase One of the $28.3 million complex was completed in summer 2025 and a 5,000-seat stadium, which will serve as home for all of the Sharks’ USL League One home games, is currently under construction.
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