USF Wins AAC Opener With 2-1 Victory Over UConn

Emilio Ycaza and Javain Brown record goals in the win over the Huskies.

TAMPA (Sept. 27, 2019) – The USF men’s soccer team got goals from Emilio Ycaza (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and Javain Brown (Kingston, Jamaica) as the Bulls pulled out a hard fought 2-1 win over UConn on Friday night at Corbett Stadium in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) opener for both schools. USF improves to 5-2 on the year, and 1-0 in the AAC, while the Huskies drop to 3-5 overall and 0-1 in league play. The win was the Bulls’ fifth in the last six matches.

Ycaza got the scoring started off early, in the 17th minute, getting a ball on his foot that got bounced around the box and drove it past the Huskies’ goalkeeper, Gianluca Catalano, to give USF a 1-0 lead. That lead held up until the intermission as the Bulls held a 7-4 advantage in shots entering the break.

After the half, UConn got the equalizer in the 61st minute of play when Dayonn Harris took a pass from Ben Awashie and got the ball past the Bulls’ net minder, Harrison Devenish-Meares (Sydney, Australia).

The Green and Gold had numerous opportunities in the final 30 minutes of play but could not convert. First, Henrique Gallina (Atibaia, Brazil) drove the ball off a set piece from 25 yards out, past the Huskies’ wall and bending it to the top left corner of the goal, only to have Catalano make a diving save at the last second to keep the match tied. Then, seconds later, Ycaza made a bid for his second goal of the night just missing and sending the ball off the right post from six yards out. Both attempts came in the 64th minute. 

The Bulls eventually broke through in the 81st minute, off a corner kick, when Avionne Flanagan (Baltimore, Md.) placed the ball perfectly in the middle of the box. Brown found himself in the right place at the right time sending the ball past Catalano for his first goal of the season and the game winner.

Despite leading in shots at the end of the first half, things tightened up in the second stanza with USF holding just a 14-13 shot advantage at the end of the night, but a 6-2 edge in shots on goal.

Quotable

“It was a ‘W,’ I think that’s the most important thing. It was a tale of two halves and it was a good lesson for us. I think that we let them back in it (the match) and when you give some life to a team, especially a team like that (UConn), that is fighting for their life, they make it a game. So, in all honestly, sometimes you have to win these ugly games, and this turned into an ugly game. We were fortunate to be in the ‘W’ side of it.”  – USF head coach Bob Butehorn on USF’s win over UConn.

Scoring Summary

USF – Emilio Ycaza (Unassisted; 16:39)

UCONN – Dayonn Harris (Ben Awashie, Jordan Hall; 60:40)

USF – Javain Brown (Avionne Flanagan; 80:05)

                              1             2             F

USF                      1             1             2           

UConn                 0             1             1

Shots: USF 14, UConn 13

Shots on Goal: USF 6, UConn 2

Saves: USF 4, UConn 1

Corner Kicks: USF 9, UConn 5

Fouls: USF 14, UConn 12

Key Stat

6-2 – Despite the paper thin 14-13 shot margin that USF held on UConn in the win on Friday night, the Bulls held a decisive 6-2 margin in shots on goal on the night. 

Notable

  • USF improves to 5-0-1 in its last six AAC openers.
  • USF recorded just its fourth win over UConn in 20 all-time meetings, however, the Bulls are now 2-1-1 in their last four outings with the Huskies.
  • Friday’s match against UConn was USF’s first of two straight that it will play at home … The Bulls close out the two-match stretch on Oct. 1, when Florida Gulf Coast visits Corbett Stadium.
  • Avionne Flanagan served up his second assist in consecutive matches on a corner kick … He also had the assist on Jonathan Rosales’ (Kissimmee, Fla.) game winner against North Florida on Sept. 24 in Jacksonville.
  • Despite getting off 13 shots on the night, UConn was only able to put two on frame – one being the Huskies’ goal – leading to only one Harrison Devenish-Meares save.

Up Next

USF will return home to Corbett Stadium to close out its short two-match homestand on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. when it faces in-state foe Florida Gulf Coast University.

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