The Aztecs returned to the SDSU Sports Deck on Sunday for their third conference match of the season against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels. A goal in the 76th minute gave the Rebels the lead in a high-tension match, but the Aztecs’ forward Terence Okoeguale matched the score with a goal off a penalty kick to put the board at 1-1.
The tie puts the Rebels 0-1-2 in conference play, and the Aztecs, who came off a tough loss against Grand Canyon University, are at 1-1-1.
“It was pretty good,” Okoeguale said about his goal. “I mean, it would be better if we’d won the game, but I think it was good to get that result here at home.”
SDSU and UNLV both came blazing into the match, with the Aztecs’ defense having to block two shots from the Rebels just seven minutes after the starting whistle.
Following a foul on SDSU’s Beto Apolinar at the 12th minute, the referee visited the sideline to exchange words with head coach Ryan Hopkins– just the start of the drama to come.
“I think the game could have been reffed much differently,” Hopkins said at the end of the match. “Especially, I thought [UNLV] were targeting our key player, and the ref let them get away with it.”
Five fouls (three to UNLV, two to SDSU) and one poor slide-tackle later, the referees issued the first of many yellow cards to the Aztecs’ midfielder Whit Schatz in the 23rd minute.
By halftime, despite thirteen fouls, seven to SDSU and five to UNLV, both teams came up empty at the first half, ending with three shots apiece but 0-0.
Whatever was said during halftime lit a fire of aggression in both teams, and less than two minutes into the second half, SDSU had to spend a few minutes down a man after a tussle on the field injured Aztecs’ forward Rommee Jaridly, who later rejoined the match.
At the 47th minute, a cross landed at the feet of Aztecs’ Okoeguale, setting him up for a shot to the lower right corner that flew straight into the arms of the Rebels’ keeper, Hugo Lemos, adding a third save to his tally.
“That’s just the way we play, we play with a lot of energy,” Okoeguale said. “And we try to give our all every game, so we’re used to it, and we know how it is.”
Frequent whistles and jeers from the crowd at the Sports Deck made it no surprise that six more yellow cards were dished out– three to SDSU and three to UNLV.
Immediately following SDSU’s fourth yellow card in the 77th minute– shown to defender Lorenzo Hernandez– the Aztecs were left vulnerable to a cross from UNLV’s Bryce Allred. Allred found midfielder Manolo Vazquez, who slipped a header past Eddy Vargas, putting the Rebels on the board 1-0.
The Aztecs didn’t let the goal go unanswered. After the Rebels’ Jace Sais was handed the team’s fourth yellow of the match, the resulting free kick allowed SDSU’s Okoeguale to send a shot down the bottom left of the goal, saved by Lemos.
In the 80th minute, Lemos was given UNLV’s fourth yellow of the match– nearly a red card after the referees reviewed the play– after the keeper came barreling off his line and into a nasty collision with Aztecs’ freshman Lucas Caffo. Caffo drew the penalty, giving the Aztecs a golden opportunity to tie the game with a penalty kick.
Okoegaule stepped up to take the penalty, sending a gorgeous kick straight past the fingertips of a diving Lemos and tying the match 1-1 for the Aztecs’ first goal since their first conference match on October 4th.
“It’s a little bit frustrating to give up that goal against the run of play, but I think the guys had a great response,” Hopkins said. “We talk about critical moments, the five minutes after conceding a goal or scoring a goal, and our guy scored three minutes later.”
Over the latter half of the match, SDSU outshot the Rebels twelve shots to six, but the Aztecs failed to find the back of the net for a second time. After an impressive total of seven saves from UNLV’s keeper, the 90 minutes ended in a draw.
The match showcased the depth of the Aztecs’ lineup, with Caffo racking up two shots on goal in just his sixth match of the season and midfielder Whit Schatz starting the first match of his career.
“It’s just been a wild season in terms of injuries, so we’ve had to rely on that depth and rely on guys taking their opportunities,” Hopkins said. “And Caffo draws the penalty, a guy that hasn’t been playing much.”
The Aztecs’ next match is at the SDSU Sports Deck on Saturday at 7 p.m. against Utah Tech.
“You can see it from our buildup to our midfield play, to how we’re creating our chances,” Hopkins said. “I think the final explosion is coming.”
