TicketsSept. 2, 2005
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Two goals in the final 10 minutes of action lifted the University of Cincinnati men's soccer team to a 2-1, come-from-behind win against Wright State tonight at UC's Gettler Stadium in the season opener for both squads. The Bearcats fought back from an early 1-0 deficit to win its 2005 lidlifter and improve to 11-9-2 all-time against the Raiders.
The Bearcats played from behind for much of the match, as Wright State's Tony Labudovski scored in the 34th minute. After the ball was played into the box by Jake Slemker, Labudovski, who had just entered the match as a sub, fired a shot for the far post, eluding the outstretched hands of Cincinnati keeper Mike Vessells (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin).
Wright State was able to control the ball in the UC zone for much of the first half of play. Although the Bearcats outshot the Raiders, 8-6, in the stanza, WSU had several quality scoring opportunities. The second half, however, would be a different story.
Cincinnati began the second period with a flurry and kept the pressure on throughout. UC continued to battle and get the ball deep into the WSU zone. Finally, at the 80:25 mark, UC broke through. Sophomore Kenny Anaba (Westerville, Ohio/Worthington Christian) took a long pass up the field from defender Ewan Blair (St. Catherine, Jamaica/St. John's (N.Y.)). Anaba sped past his defender, popped the ball over the top of Wright State goalkeeper Jason Ballach, and tapped in his first career goal to tie the match at one.
With momentum clearly on their side, the Bearcats continued to press. In the 88th minute, a freshman stepped up and put the match away for UC. On a play very similar to Anaba's goal, freshman Dominic Oppong (Toronto, Ontario/Cardinal Newman) gathered in a long pass from defender Amir Ikner (Olathe, Kan./Blue Valley West) and lofted a shot over Ballach for his first collegiate goal.
UC Head coach Hylton Dayes, a four-time All-American at Wright State, was very pleased with his team's effort in the second half. "I think our guys showed a lot of character, coming from a goal down," Dayes said. "This team has resolve. They just kept fighting and fighting and finally got an opening."
Cincinnati outshot Wright State, 20-9, for the match and took 10 corner kicks to WSU's two.
The Bearcats will play host to another local rival, welcoming Dayton on Sunday, Sept. 4. Kickoff from Gettler Stadium is set for 1 p.m.