Box Score Game Box (PDF)
Spartanburg, S.C. – After turning in a solid defensive effort and despite turning up the pressure offensively in the second half, the USC Upstate men's soccer team battled Stetson to a scoreless tie in A-Sun men's soccer action Friday night at County University Soccer Stadium.
Upstate stands 0-6-2 overall and 0-1-1 with one point in the A-Sun after the tie. The Spartans will close out the weekend hosting Florida Gulf Coast at 1:00 p.m. Sunday at County University Soccer Stadium. Stetson is 1-7-3 overall and 0-2-1 with a point in the A-Sun.
"I thought we battled hard and although both teams had chances to win, I am most pleased that we held another team scoreless and gave ourselves a chance to win," said Upstate head coach Greg Hooks.
The teams battled hard from the top of the box to the top of the other box with opportunities to score coming few and far between in the first half. After playing 45 minutes, Stetson owned a 2-0 lead in shots with neither being put on goal.
Both of Stetson's shots were solid scoring opportunities. The first came in the ninth minute on a header from Sebastian Contreras off a corner kick. His shot, though, went wide of the mark. The Hatters had another opportunity in the 31st minute. Raffaele Centofanti was played a cross from the left side to the right side of the box. His one-timer went wide of the goal as well.
Although Upstate did not take a shot in the first half, the Spartans were able to put pressure on Stetson's defense. The Hatters collapsed on defense, particularly finding Dave Musambi and marking him with two players throughout the half to take away any possibility of building a scoring threat.
Just as it has done throughout the season, Upstate came out and created opportunities in the second half. The Spartans took two shots in the first nine minutes, the second being the best opportunity coming after a Stetson foul. Musambi took the free kick from 25 yards out and bent a shot over the wall that sailed just over the crossbar in the 54th minute.
Stetson nearly cracked the scoreboard late in regulation after an Upstate foul. Centofanti took the free kick and sent a cross in front of the goal mouth where JJ Bostic took a one-timer from three yards out. His shot, though, went over the goal and the game went to overtime.
Upstate goalkeeper Dani Alvarado came up huge in the first overtime period. Stetson went on a counter attack and Gianluca Carbone's shot from 13 yards was saved by a charging Alvarado. A minute later, Stetson keeper Andreas Schnabl made nearly an identical save to keep Upstate from winning. Musambi was played a ball shaded to the left side of the box. His shot was saved by a charging Schnable to keep the game scoreless.
Musambi nearly ended the match midway through the second overtime. He was played a ball at the top of the box and took a shot. The shot glanced off a Stetson defender and the top spin caused it to dive toward the goal. Schnabl managed to just deflect it off the crossbar to keep the Spartans off the scoreboard.
Although both teams tried furiously to get the win, neither team got off another scoring opportunity as the game ended in a scoreless tie.
Upstate dominated the pace of play in the second half. The Spartans outshot Stetson 8-6 after halftime and drew even with the Hatters at 8-8 for the game. Alvarado finished with two saves on the night for Upstate, while Schnable tallied four.
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