UNCG Men’s Soccer, Furman Play out End-to-End 1-1 Draw
GREENSBORO, N.C. – A second-half spot kick gave the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men’s soccer team (5-2-8, 2-0-3 SoCon) a 1-1 draw with the Furman Paladins (6-3-6, 2-1-2 SoCon) at UNCG Soccer Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Tuesday night.
Sitting third and fourth in The Southern Conference (SoCon) standings entering the evening with one more game left this weekend, the two sides played out a breakneck contest that featured 38 shots and 13 corner kicks – but not a decisive strike between either of the teams.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UNCG opened the game on the front foot, a pair of early chances dragging wide of the left crossbar. Lasse Dahl was the first player in the match to nearly find home, slotting a low effort past Paladins keeper Aaron Salinas only to watch it ping back off the post.
Salinas denied both Keaviano Francis and Pablo Torre within a minute before a counterattack from the Paladins yielded the opening goal in the 21st minute. Seth Wilson would be called into action to make his first save of the game in the 33rd minute, his lone stop of the first half.
Both sides had further chances in the last 10 minutes before the break, but neither was able to convert; Sigurd Saeveraas had the best opportunity for UNCG, a powerful attempt from close range blocked before testing a diving Salinas.
Emerging from halftime with renewed momentum, the Blue & Gold found an answer within 10 minutes of the restart. Mathis Robinand stepped up from the penalty spot after Trym Linberg was hauled down in the box, coolly sending Salinas the opposite direction and making it 1-1.
Bendix Bennetzen nearly put UNCG ahead shortly after, blazing an attempt just over the bar a couple seconds past the hour mark. It was Steven Hernandez’s turn in the 85th minute, the senior smashing a low drive narrowly wide of the far post.
Continuing to push forward, the Spartans would come achingly short of snatching all three points late. Dahl would be denied twice by an immense double-save from Salinas with fifty seconds to play, before the final shot of the game from Mohammed Sumaila left Furman’s keeper stranded but could not dip below the crossbar and in.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
Dahl and Francis (three) led UNCG in shots, Dahl putting two on target to tie with Robinand for most in the game.
UNCG outshot Furman 23-15, with seven coming on goal to three for the Paladins.
23 shots was the most in a game so far this season for the Spartans, eclipsing the previous mark of 21 at Dayton on Sept. 5.
Corners were 8-5 in favor of the Blue & Gold, another season-high for UNCG.
Robinand’s goal was the second of his freshman campaign and makes him the sixth Spartan this year with multiple tallies. He is the second player on the side to convert from the spot, joining Caleb Borneo.
UP NEXT
UNCG hosts ETSU on Saturday at UNCG Soccer Stadium for Senior Day and the final regular season game of the season, kicking off at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN+. The first 100 students will receive a free glow in the dark t-shirt, while a food truck will be in attendance and the Spartans will be honoring this year’s senior class pregame.
Davis Fields
Strategic Communications Coordinator
UNC Greensboro