MSOC | Late USD Goal Leads to 1-1 Tie - SMC California Athletics

Friday, October 7

San Diego, CA

7:00 PM

Saint Mary's College of California

5-4-2, 0-1-1

San Diego

3-3-6, 1-0-1

Saint Mary's (CA)

San Diego

Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner

MSOC | Late USD Goal Leads to 1-1 Tie

10/7/2022 9:48:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - A goal with 29 seconds left by San Diego allowed the Toreros to escape with a tie and keep the Gaels from their first WCC win of the season on Friday night, bringing SMC to 5-4-2 on the season and 0-1-1 in WCC play.

The Gaels attacked early creating pressure right out of the gate and out shot the Toreros 12-5 in the first half. They scored in the 36th minute wade Bastian Toelhoej gathered the ball at midfield and lofted a perfect pass ahead to Wade Muttitt. The sophomore from Crowethorne, England raced ahead of every USD defender and flicked right-footed shot over the keeper that ricocheted off the crossbar and into the goal for a 1-0 Gales lead. It was Muttitt's second goal of the season and Toelhoej's second assist.

But just after Gaels goalkeeper Kash Oladapo preserved the shutout in the 87th minute by smothering a cross to a Torero inside the six-yard box, he would commit a mistake that lead to the equalizing goal in the final minute. Oladapo was setting up for a kick in the 89th minute and spun the ball out a few yards in front of himself. A lurking USD forward caught Oladapo unaware that the Torero player was still behind him and stole the ball before shooting it into the open net for a 1-1 tie with 29 seconds remaining.

Oladapo had some good moments outside of the late gaff, with a big diving stop to his right against the post in the fourth minute and USD a shot in the eighth minute that may have snuck under the crossbar if Oladapo hadn't gotten a hand on it.

The Gaels had some other close calls for a chance at more than one goal. Greg Brighton was just wide left from on a shot from 10 yards out in the 23rd minute and Muttitt almost a second goal in 67th minute. Muttitt gathered a a rebound of a penalty shot to the left of the box, sped towards the middle and fired a right-footed shot that forced the keeper to make a diving stop to his left.

Saint Mary's thought they had gone ahead 2-0 in the 73rd minute. After a Boyd Curry header went off the post, the Gaels had a corner kick. It appeared Omar Yehya had set up Christian Engmann with a goal but an offsides was called on the header that feed the ball to Yehya. Engmann almost put Gaels back ahead in 20 seconds later with a big right-footed shot that required an incredible leaping save.

UP NEXT:
The Gaels conclude their stretch of eight road games with a trip to Michigan State where they will take on the Spartans on Tuesday, October 11 at 5:00 p.m.

#GaelsRise