UCLA men’s soccer loses national title game on penalty kicks

From the start of the NCAA College Cup final on Sunday in Cary, N.C., the strategy of the lower-ranked and injury-riddled Virginia Cavaliers was clear: Do whatever’s possible to take the game to the precarious penalty kick stage.

Virginia sat back deep in its own final third for the entire game, conceding nearly all the possessions to UCLA but making sure that the Bruins’ main playmakers couldn’t get a head of speed in open space.

The plan worked, as the score remained tied 0-0 for 110 minutes, forcing the championship match to be decided by penalty kicks for the first time since 2009 – the last time Virginia won it.

The Cavaliers repeated history, prevailing 4-2 in the penalty kick stage and preventing the Bruins from attaining what could have been their first national title since 2002.

Though UCLA struggled to find a clear path through the Virginia defense all day, the Bruins had a few chances to take control of the game before the penalty kick shootout began.

In the first half, a ball deflected slowly toward the middle of the Virginia 18-yard box – about 5 yards away from each of the three surrounding Virginia defenders. UCLA freshman forward Christian Chavez charged ahead between the three flat-footed Virginia defenders and looked to have a beat on the ball. But just before Chavez’s foot could contact the ball for the shot attempt, Virginia’s goalie sprinted forward and grabbed the ball, stamping out the Bruin scoring chance.

Meanwhile, as UCLA possessed the ball for seemingly 80 percent of the first half, Virginia did not really show any aggression offensively. The Cavaliers’ lone scoring chance came on a free kick from about 35 yards out in the 43rd minute, but it was saved easily by UCLA redshirt senior goalkeeper Earl Edwards.

As the second half ensued, UCLA began to dissect Virginia’s defense a little bit, but the Cavalier back line of four defenders consistently stayed home, preventing seemingly every Bruin attack from maintaining momentum inside the box. Virginia’s willingness to sit back on defense kept UCLA’s most explosive playmaker – freshman forward Abu Danladi – from getting a head of steam in open space. Danladi still managed to break free and sprint past Virginia defenders on occasion, but whenever he did, there seemed to always be another line of defense waiting to stop his attack.

In the game’s waning moments, it was apparent that UCLA’s best scoring chances would likely come off of set pieces. They almost did.

In the 87th, the Bruins set up a corner kick play that they had executed for goals several times earlier in the season. UCLA brought in senior defender and header specialist Aaron Simmons to stand in the middle of the box, and senior midfielder Leo Stolz launched the corner kick directly to him. But Simmons’ header went just wide, keeping the game scoreless.

Then in the 105th, Danladi’s best chance of the game came off a deflected free kick, which bounced to him just outside the 5-yard box. But Danladi’s clear shot from straightaway was saved by the Virginia keeper, and the game went into penalty kicks five minutes later.

In the penalty kicks, UCLA had yet another golden opportunity to take control of the game. After each team converted on its first penalty kick attempt, Virginia’s second attempt was saved by Edwards, leaving the door open for UCLA sophomore forward/midfielder Gage Zerboni to give UCLA the advantage. But Zerboni’s shot hit the crossbar and missed, just as sophomore midfielder Willie Raygoza’s did on UCLA’s next penalty kick attempt.

The Cavaliers countered the Bruins’ two missed penalty kicks by making three of them straight to capture the national title.

Compiled by Matthew Joye, Bruin Sports senior staff.