The South Carolina men’s soccer team was defeated at home by the UCF Knights 2-0 on Saturday night, turning its record to (7-4-1).
The first half ended with no goals. Both goalkeepers, sophomore Filip Versterre for the Gamecocks and senior Juanvi Muñoz for the Knights, were locked in early on, and the score stayed at 0-0 despite a few close calls.
Sophomore midfielder Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez of South Carolina tried to score twice, and senior forward Tyler Trimnal attempted another shot on goal, but Muñoz saved them all. UCF also had its chances, with senior forward Clarence Awoudor forcing Versterre to make a stop and a few other shots going just wide.
Both teams were trying hard to get a goal, as the Gamecocks had one corner kick, and the Knights had two. It was also a rough half, as South Carolina got called for eight fouls, four of which were against junior midfielder Isaiah Whittaker-Francis. UCF got called for four. Around the half-hour mark, both teams made changes to keep their players fresh.
In the second half, UCF gained control of the game and scored twice to defeat South Carolina 2-0. Both sides returned from halftime with energy and several new players.
Versterre stopped redshirt junior midfielder Joey Mueller's first shot, and a few minutes later, freshman forward Seiryu Ono missed by a small margin. Muñoz had to stop a shot from Trimnal, but UCF regained control.
Freshman defender Mateus Dejesus scored in the 62nd minute with a feed from Awoudor to break the tie. This put the Knights ahead 1-0. Trimnal and Velazquez-Lopez both tried to score for the Gamecocks, but Muñoz continued playing well at the goal.
The Gamecocks tried making a change by making several substitutions, but they couldn't get a rhythm. UCF remained on the attack, and in the 80th minute, senior forward Malick Thiaw scored with an assist from Awoudor.
Versterre made a few more stops to keep the Knights' lead to a minimum. But South Carolina's late attempts, which included a shot from senior midfielder Ethan Ballek and a corner kick, showed for nothing. UCF won 2-0 over the Gamecocks.
UCF's offensive efficiency
The biggest difference in the match was UCF's ability to capitalize on key chances. Both teams had chances to score during the game, but the Knights scored when it counted. Dejesus and Thiaw both scored, and Awoudor set up both goals with his vision and passing. UCF's offense was efficient and patient, which allowed it to take charge of the game in the second half.
Strong goalkeeping
Muñoz played a significant role in maintaining the Knights' lead. He had several saves, including stopping Trimnal and Velazquez-Lopez several times, which kept the Gamecocks from getting going. Muñoz's performance anchored a solid defensive effort that never allowed South Carolina to find rhythm in its attacking this match.
South Carolina's missed opportunities and fouls
South Carolina created chances to stay competitive but struggled to finish tonight. Despite having multiple shots on target and earning late corner kicks, the Gamecocks couldn’t break through UCF’s defense. Frequent fouls disturbed the flow and gave UCF extra possession, stalling South Carolina's pace and rhythm. Combined with defensive lapses on both of UCF’s goals, these missed opportunities and small mistakes cost the Gamecocks their chance of being able to stay in the match tonight.
What's next?
South Carolina will take on Old Dominion on Oct. 10 at home for Senior Night. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.