PHILADELPHIA - The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team welcomed Delaware to University City on Tuesday night to continue its non-conference slate. The match ended in a 3-3 draw, resulting in both sides sharing the points at fulltime. However, spectators witnessed an action-packed 90 minutes at Rhodes Field.
Junior midfielder
Michael Howard opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a clinical strike from outside the penalty area, but the visitors responded with two quick goals to snatch a 2-1 lead after 31 minutes. Reigning Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week,
Marco Bottene, responded instantly with a goal of his own to level the contest heading into halftime. Two late penalty kicks for both teams capped of a barnburner in Philadelphia.
Quaker Notemeal
*Howard notched his first goal of the season to hand Penn an early lead and sophomore midfielder
Phil Pak was credited with the assist.
*The Quakers outshot the Blue Hens 14-8 Tuesday night and held an 8-5 advantage in attempts on frame.
*Bottene fired home his fifth goal of the campaign in the 33rd minute which leads the Red and Blue and the Ivy League. Sophomore forward
Adam Ambrus-Aikelin found Bottene in transition who finished off the move with a tidy finish.
*Senior captain
Jack-Ryan Jeremiah earned his first points of the season after dispatching his penalty that restored the hosts' lead with 10 minutes to play.
*
Kalani Kunimura,
Phillip Falcon III,
Connor Dawson, and
Malachi Neal were the only Quakers to play the full 90 minutes.
*Falcon III made two crucial saves throughout the contest that denied the visitors an opportunity to gain momentum and extend their lead.
How It Happened
Penn dominated the first 10 minutes of the match with early offensive pressure, and nearly broke the deadlock in the eighth minute when
Romeo Dahlen's right-footed effort forced a quality save from Eric Widrick.
Falcon III was called into action moments later as Frederik Flaskager broke through the Quakers' backline, but the senior goalkeeper made a comfortable save at his far post.
The hosts' early pressure paid off in the 22nd minute. Penn was in sound possession as Pak carried the ball through midfield before finding Howard's feet 30 yards from goal. The Apex, N.C. native used his first two touches to set his feet prior to rifling a low-driven effort from 25 yards out that kissed the woodwork on its way past Widrick.
Delaware only needed five minutes to find an equalizer, and it grabbed the lead in the 31st minute. Sean Smith found the back of the net off a feed from Emmett Kershner in the 27th minute and Kershner's strike four minutes later put the Blue Hens back in the driver's seat.
Only two minutes expired before Penn found an equalizer of its own. Senior midfielder
Owen Sullivan won his aerial duel in midfield and Bottene picked up the second ball. The Hermosa Beach, Calif. native did well to shrug off two defenders before playing a pass to Ambrus-Aikelin's feet. The sophomore then played a return through ball to Bottene who made a darting run in behind Delaware's backline before calmly rolling the ball past Widrick.
After 45 minutes in University City, the match remained at two goals apiece.
Head coach
Brian Gill's group kept its foot on the gas coming out of halftime, earning several free kicks in dangerous territory. Joaquin Niehneke stood over a set-piece opportunity just outside the penalty area in the 53rd minute, but his shot was parried by Widrick.
Through the first 20 minutes of the second period both sides saw increases in fouls, raising the intensity of Tuesday night's match.
Delaware nearly took a 3-2 lead in the 63rd minute, but Falcon III came up with a huge save to deny Flaskager at his near post.
The Red and Blue continued to push the tempo as the half wore on and were awarded a penalty in the 80th minute. Bottene drew a foul in the box and Jeremiah stepped up to the spot to take the kick for the hosts. The Kailua-Kona, Hawaii native went on to restore Penn's lead with a quality strike that left Widrick no chance.
Following the restart, the visitors asked questions of Penn's backline and won a penalty of their own 41 seconds later. A Quaker defender made a late challenge on a Blue Hen in the box and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. Freddy Jeffreys was tasked with taking the penalty and made no mistake, knotting the contest with a quality finish.
Penn threw everything it had at the visitors in the final 10 minutes of play, but Delaware held on to escape with a point.
Up Next
The Quakers (2-1-1, 0-0 Ivy League) are back on the road for their next match. They travel to FDU on Saturday for a 6 p.m. kickoff in Teaneck, N.J.
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