Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's soccer team faced a two-goal deficit with 22 minutes remaining in regulation but the Spartans rallied for two goals and came away with a hard-fought 2-2 tie against hosting North Florida Sunday night at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville. The tie ran the Spartans' record to 1-0-1 on the opening weekend in the Sunshine State as they finished with the same record as the Ospreys in the Mike Gibbs' Tournament.
The evenly matched game saw North Florida hold a slim 11-10 edge in shots and a 5-4 edge in corner kicks after 110 minutes of play. The Spartans had the game's first chance in the 14th minute of play. Senior forward Damieon Thomas (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Georgia Military Institute) sent a cross to the top of the 18-yard box. Freshman forward Faisal Almubaslat (Greensboro, N.C./Northern Guilford) ripped a shot onto goal, but Juan Fajardo made a sprawling save to keep the Spartans off the board.
North Florida, the reigning Atlantic Sun Conference champions, scored the game's first goal off a set piece in the 24th minute of play. The Spartans were called for a foul 30-yards out and Micah Smoak stepped up and bent a shot around the UNCG wall and into the top corner past the diving Logan Rohde (Cary, N.C./Greensboro College) for the 1-0 lead.
The teams battled back and forth for most of the first half before North Florida struck early in the second half for a 2-0 lead in the 54th minute. Cormac Bagely made a run against the UNCG defense and sent a cross into the box where Aidan D'Mello volleyed it into the back of the net from 12-yards out for what appeared to be an insurance goal for the Ospreys.
The Spartans showed their mettle though and started the comeback trail in the 69th minute of action. For the second game in a row, UNCG was able to convert off a corner kick. Sophomore Ethan Wells (Lewisville, N.C./Reagan) drove the ball to the top of the six-yard box where senior defender Hugo Coicaud (Le Havre, France/Saint-Joseph) rose above the defenders and hammed home a header for his first career goal to trim the deficit to 2-1.
The Spartans kept attacking and used their depth as a weapon, using 21 different players in the game. The attacking style paid off in the 79th minute of play as freshman Tavion Webb (Winston-Salem, N.C./West Forsyth) sent a ball to the top of the 18-yard box. Sophomore Alexander Lewis (Arden, N.C./T.C. Roberson) brought the ball down and made a move to beat the defender on his back before slotting the ball past Tord Peterson knotting the game at 2-2.
UNCG had the best chances in the overtime periods. Sophomore midfielder Matteo Busio (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford) had a chance in the 96th minute of play but his shot from 15-yards out was save by Peterson. The rebound bounced out front and sophomore Omar Elyas (Milton Keynes, England/Tiffin) got a foot on the ball but his shot sailed over the cross bard.
The Spartans looked to score the winner in the 106th minute of play as Thomas ripped a shot on goal that was saved and Busio was able to corral the rebound and shoot it in the back of the net. The goal was waved off though as the Spartans were called in an offside position.
UNCG returns to action Friday night as it opens the home portion of the schedule by hosting UAB. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium and will be aired on the SoCon Digital Network.
-- UNCG --
