Aggies comeback results in 2-2 double-overtime draw versus SCU
GOODWELL, Okla. - The Oklahoma Panhandle State University men’s soccer team battled back from a 2-0 deficit to forge a 2-2 doubleovertime draw versus Southwestern Christian University at Anchor D Stadium. Both the Aggies and the Eagles are now 1-0-1 on the season.
“Overall, I think today was a very competitive match and exactly what both sides were seeking when we agreed to scheduling this last minute fixture,” OPSU Head Coach Brandon Misuraca said. “As always, there’s no easy matches when you have two SAC schools going toe to toe.”
While a tie game may leave some feeling unfulfilled, it was actually a good barometer of the improvement of an already-good OPSU side from the 2019 season, when SCU defeated the Aggies, 3-0. However, in 2020, Panhandle out-shot the visiting Eagles – who reached the Sooner Athletic Conference quarterfinals last year – by a 16-12 margin and 9-4 in shots on-goal. As a matter-of-fact, OPSU might have settled the match in regulation were it not for an own goal in the 56th minute after a communications breakdown in the Aggie defense.
SCU already owned a 1-0 advantage going into the halftime locker room and stretched that to 2-0 after the OPSU miscue. However, rather than fold, the Aggies seemed to find a spark, especially behind junior transfer Benjamin
Hoffman. In the 62nd minute, Hoffman sent a laser past SCU netminder Bruno da Silva from 17 yards left of the face to the far post to make it 2-1.
Less than eight minutes later, Hoffman headed a ball on the far sideline to teammate Emmanuel Somule breaking toward the goal. Somule took the ball in stride, beat a defender, then slide a perfect pass to Jesus Sosa in front of the net. Sosa finished the rally with his second goal in as many matches as an Aggie, making it 2-2.
Sosa was a perfect 4-for-4 in his shots all being on-goal, as was Somule (2-for2). Each team had one shot on-goal in overtime – SCU in the first and OPSU in the second – but neither team was able to score.
Dutour finished the afternoon with three saves. Da Silva had seven stops for the Eagles.
“Coming back from a two goal deficit can be a tall task,” Misuraca stated. “I was pleased to see the fighting spirit within the side not just to pull us level but to then go out and push for the match winning goal. Additionally, I think it was good for our incoming players to experience what an NAIA/SAC match is like early on in the season.”
Although both schools are members of the Sooner Athletic Conference, the match was a nonconference bout on the schedule. SAC play will occur in the spring.