Men’s soccer ties SDSU
Senior midfielder Kyle Nakazawa scored an early goal against San Diego St. to help the Bruins to a 2-2 tie. The tally boosted Nakazawa’s team-leading total to eight.
By Daniel Khayat
Oct. 11, 2009 11:02 p.m.
The No. 4 UCLA men’s soccer team went into its Pac-10 showdown with San Diego St. riding a six-match unbeaten streak. The Bruins continued that streak with a 2-2 draw in San Diego Sunday, but a few controversial moments had an effect on the outcome of the game that saw two Bruins injured and one sent off. The tie brought UCLA to 6-1-2 and 1-0-2 in the Pac-10. San Diego St. is now 3-3-4 overall and 0-1-2 in the Pac-10.
UCLA senior goalkeeper Brian Perk was injured in the 60th minute after SDSU senior forward Matt McManus slid in on an apparent attempt to score and connected with Perk’s face. Perk, playing in his first game since he and senior midfielder Michael Stephens took three weeks off to join the United States Under-20 National Team for the U-20 World Cup in Egypt, was taken to the emergency room and required stitches on his eyelid.
In the 80th minute, UCLA senior defender Luis Serrano was briefly knocked unconscious from a head-to-head collision with McManus on a 50-50 ball at UCLA’s back post, but instead of playing the ball out of bounds so Serrano could receive treatment, SDSU continued to play the ball and senior defender Nick Cardenas, for the Aztecs’ second goal. Serrano was diagnosed with a concussion after the game and vomited after being helped off the field.
“I don’t think they were fair challenges,” Stephens said. “The one on Brian especially was a pretty cheap shot. He went (with his) cleats to the face and caught Brian’s face pretty good.”
McManus was not booked for either incident.
UCLA senior midfielder Kyle Nakazawa opened the scoring in the 14th minute for his team-leading eighth goal of the season after an earlier goal was called back on an offsides.
SDSU freshman forward Devon Sandoval was the beneficiary of a fluke play at the expense of UCLA senior defender Danny Suits in the 27th minute. Suits attempted to clear the ball from the edge of the Bruins’ penalty box, but the ball caromed off Sandoval’s back and sailed just over Perk’s outstretched hands to tie the game at 1-1.
“We had the run of play,” UCLA coach Jorge Salcedo said. “It was an unfortunate play and a bit of bad luck again on Danny’s part.”
Shortly after halftime, the game transformed into a slugfest, with 10 fouls, four yellow cards and two red cards being split evenly between the two sides. Seconds after Cardenas’ goal put the Aztecs ahead, UCLA sophomore defender Oscar Reyes was shown a red card from the Bruins’ bench for shouting at the official. Since Reyes did not take part in any of the game, UCLA was not reduced to 10 players.
In the 82nd minute, senior forward David Estrada headed in the game’s final goal on a cross from Nakazawa.
“I’d been waiting for this moment for such a long time and I’m happy it came,” Estrada said. “Both goals they scored were really heartbreakers. To be able to come back says a lot about our team. We’re resilient, and we don’t just put our heads down. We’ve been in that situation a lot, and I feel like we’re more mature about what to do.”
No goals were scored in extra time.
