The Bulls take the win over the Knights in the first edition of the War on I-4
TAMPA (Feb. 20, 2021) – The University of South Florida men’s soccer team traveled to Orlando on Saturday night, to pick up its first win of the season with a 2-1 victory over No. 14 UCF in the season’s first edition of the War on I-4.
The first goal came within the first 12 minutes from a free-kick that was lofted into the box. Freshman Oscar Resano (Mexico City, Mexico) was able to do a quick turn on the defender and slip the ball to the far post to give the Bulls the early lead.
USF only had one shot in the first half and was able to convert, while UCF (1-2, 1-2 AAC) held an 11-1 shot advantage at the half.
The Bulls (1-2, 1-2 AAC) continued to apply pressure in the second half, outshooting the Knights 10-9, which led to junior Henrique Gallina (Atibaia, Brazil) netting a goal from a corner by sophomore Victor Claudel (Strasbourg, France) in the 54th minute.
UCF was able to get on the board late in the second half when a ball was played across and a mistouch by the Bulls put it in the back of the net.
Senior Trey Jackson (Ocala, Fla.) led the Bulls with three shots and seven other Bulls recorded shots on goal.
USF goalkeeper junior Kazuna Takase (Tomoto, Japan) rose to the challenge and tallied a career-best 12 saves on the night.
Scoring Summary
USF – Oscar Resano (Unassisted; 11:46)
USF – Henrique Gallina (Victor Claudel; 54:41)
UCF – UCF Team (Unassisted; 81:25)
1 2 F
USF 1 1 2
UCF 0 1 1
Shots: USF 11, UCF 20
Shots on Goal: USF 8, UCF 12
Saves: USF 12, UCF 6
Corner Kicks: USF 3, UCF 12
Fouls: USF 7, UCF 7
Notable
- Saturday’s game against UCF was the second of two games that the Bulls will have played against members of the TopDrawerSoccer.com Top 25 … USF faced No. 8 SMU last week in Tampa.
- The win marked the first win over a ranked team since the Bulls defeated No. 5 Louisville, 2-0, on Sept. 9, 2019.
- USF’s win over UCF improves its all-time record over the Knights to 23-7-3, and 9-3-3 in Orlando.
- Through Saturday’s game, the Bulls have outscored the Knights, 67-38, in the all-time series.
Up Next
Following Saturday’s game at UCF, USF will end the two-match road stretch at Temple on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. (ESPN+) … USF will return home to Corbett Stadium on March 6, at 7 p.m., to host Tulsa.
About USF Men’s Soccer
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USF Men’s Soccer competed in the school’s first ever intercollegiate athletic contest on Sept. 25, 1965, beating Florida Southern 4-3. Since then, the oldest program on campus has built a winning tradition, claiming 14 conference championships and making 21 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 3 trips to the elite eight.
The program also has a strong reputation within the professional game and boasts 27 MLS draft picks. Notable alumni include two-time MLS Golden Boot winner Jeff Cunningham, USA 1994 World Cup star Roy Wegerle, and 2013 MLS Cup winner Dom Dwyer.
The Bulls have advanced to the postseason in 18 of the past 19 years, including 12 NCAA Tournament appearances during that period.
USF Soccer concluded the 2019 season with an 11-7-1 overall record, earning an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. Four players earned AAC honors, highlighted by first team selections Avionne Flanagan and Javain Brown. Adrian Billhardt was tabbed a second team selection. In addition, Brown and Salvatore Mazzaferro were named to The AAC All-Rookie Team. Head coach Bob Butehorn returns to lead USF in his fourth season on the sidelines.
– #GoBulls –
