UPDATE: Assist and a poke in OT lift UK men to soccer crown
Wildcats down Florida Atlantic 2-1 to win C-USA title
UPDATE POSTED 8 P.M. SUNDAY, NOV. 14, 2021
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UK Athletics) – The Kentucky Wildcats are 2021 Conference USA champions.
Kentucky earned its second C-USA Tournament crown in program history and its 11th overall conference title on Sunday.
The 13-1-4 Wildcats, seeded fourth in the tournament and ranked 15th in the country, defeated sixth-seeded Florida Atlantic (9-6-3) by a score of 2-1 in overtime of the C-USA Championship final at Transamerica Field.
Marcel Meinzer ignited the Cats’ comeback effort with a penalty kick in the second half, while Eythor Bjorgolfsson scored the golden goal just over three minutes into overtime.
Playing in the C-USA Championship final for the first time ever, Florida Atlantic struck first on Sunday with a combination from Pontus Steffensen to Ivan Mykhailenko in the 16th minute.
After a relatively stagnant first half in which each team managed only three shot attempts, Kentucky trailed at the break for the first time all season.
But, momentum swung in the Wildcats’ favor during a second half in which Kentucky ultimately outshot Florida Atlantic 9-1.
Opportunity presented itself in the 60th minute when UK defender Luis Grassow was fouled on a run into the FAU penalty box, setting up Kentucky’s second penalty kick of the season.
Meinzer iced the kick straight down the middle, securing the first-team All-C-USA midfielder’s first goal of his senior campaign.
The score remained in a 1-1 deadlock for the final 30 minutes of regulation.
In overtime, Clay Holstad began the scoring sequence with a dribble to the right corner and an airborne cross in front of the net. Bjorgolfsson couldn’t corral the initial pass, but the unmarked Enzo Mauriz was there to follow it up on the far post.
Mauriz sent the ball back toward the middle on the ground from six yards out, where Bjorgolfsson’s outstretched right leg poked the ball over the head of goalkeeper Neil Strauber.
Bjorgolfsson was named the tournament’s Offensive Most Valuable Player, joined on the All-Tournament Team by Meinzer, Jan Hoffelner and Grassow, the Defensive MVP.
Kentucky earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, where it is scheduled to make its 12th all-time appearance in the 48-team field. The official bracket will be unveiled starting Monday at 1 p.m. ET.
ORIGINAL STORY POSTED 5:30 P.M. SUNDAY, NOV. 14, 2021
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVQ/News Release) – No. 4 seed UK Wildcats took a thrilling 2-1 victory over No. 6 seed Florida Atlantic University men’s soccer team (9-7-3, 2-4-2 in Conference USA) to win the C-USA soccer crown Sunday.
At the end of regulation, the score was knotted up at 1-1, but UK delivered the golden goal at the 94th minute of overtime to claim the title.
First Half
FAU led UK in shots, 2-1, in the first 12 minutes of play. At the 16th minute, Jose Alastuey received a long ball from the other way and took the ball down just outside the 18. Alastuey found Pontus Steffensen on the left side, who beat his defender to cross to Mykhailenko. Once again, Mykhailenko was at the right place at the right time, delivering a sliding shot that found the back of the net. FAU took an early 1-0 lead. Both sides held each other off, as no shots were taken for over 20 minutes. At the 36th minute, UK found a good look for the equalizer, but Chadi Mayati got his knee on the ball to knock it out for the defensive save. FAU went into the intermission with the 1-0 lead, as both sides were tied with three shots, apiece.
Second Half
To open up the second half, UK had another great look at the equalizing goal, but Neil Strauber came in with a leaping save to stop the Wildcats’ attack. An Owl mistake in UK’s penalty box led to a penalty kick try for Marcel Meinzer who converted to tie the game at the 60th minute. UK continued to control possession throughout the second half, but FAU’s defense continued to hang around tough. At the 80th minute, Strauber delivered another great save to keep the score at bay, 1-1. At the end of regulation, UK had the edge in shots, 12-4.
Overtime
The Owls took their first corner kick of the game at the 92nd minute, as FAU looked to pick things up offensively. Coello Camarero then delivered the first shot in overtime, but it came out just left off target at the 93rd minute. On UK’s next possession, the Wildcats’ Eythor Bjorgolfsson delivered the golden goal at the 94th minute.
Jan Hoffelner got the win in goal for the Wildcats.
UK, which until it suffered it’s only loss two weeks ago was one of only three unbeaten teams in the country and ranked fifth, will know its NCAA Tournament fate Monday afternoon following the 1 .m. NCAA bracket show.
