UCLA
5-3
California
4-3-2
Bruins Top Cal 2-1 in Pac-12 Opener
September 27, 2018 | Men's Soccer
BERKELEY, Calif. – The UCLA men's soccer team opened its 2018 Pac-12 slate on a strong note Thursday, defeating California 2-1 at Edwards Stadium in the league opener for both teams.
The win snapped a two game skid for UCLA, which improved to 5-3, 1-0. Cal meanwhile dropped to 4-3-2, 0-1.
The Bruins led for the majority of the contest, as Brandon Terwege put the visitors ahead at the 17:00 mark with his first goal of the season. Cal found an equalizer in the 63rd minute, but that deadlock lasted just over four minutes as Milan Iloski grabbed the game-winner in the 67th minute.
UCLA's defense held the Golden Bears to just two shots over the remainder of the contest to preserve the decision.
"We've been in the situation a couple times in the past few games where we've been up 1-0 but then given up an equalizing goal," said UCLA head coach Jorge Salcedo. "This time we were really resilient and had a really good mentality to get back to controlling the game. I was happy the guys were able to apply the lessons from the last two games and get a win in our first Pac-12 game on the road."
Terwege parlayed a corner kick in to the game's opening goal in the 18th minute, as the sophomore right back got air and connected on a cross from freshman midfielder Matt Hundley, heading it inside the far post for his first tally of the campaign.
UCLA goal!
— UCLA Men's Soccer (@UCLAMSoccer) September 27, 2018
Brandon Terwege heads home his first of the campaign and the Bruins lead 1-0.
Tune in on the Pac-12 Network now: https://t.co/H8xwEYky1c#GoBruins | #UCLAvsCal pic.twitter.com/tp8QMdz1YH
That score was the fourth by a Bruin returner this season (Santiago Herrera, Robert Knights, Matthew Powell the others), and Hundley has recorded the assist on all four of those goals.
UCLA had an excellent chance to double its lead in the 30th minute, with a clinical passing sequence leading to a sharp angle breakaway for Joab Santoyo down the left wing. However, a Cal defender tracked all the way back and made a sliding block of Santoyo's effort to keep the scoreline at 1-0.
Cal managed just two shots in the first half – neither of which were much danger – as Halil Beqaj shot wide in the seventh minute and Shinya Kadono hit a weak shot at UCLA keeper Justin Garces for an easy save.
The Golden Bears started to come to life in the second half. Alonzo Del Mundo came within inches of a highlight-reel equalizer in the 59th minute, hitting a shot on the outside of his left foot and having it curl back towards net but it clanged off the post.
Just three minutes later, Kadono found the back of the net for Cal, heading the ball in after an earlier header went off the crossbar and came to Kadono.
UCLA permanently gained the upper hand at the 65:39 mark. Taking on a defender 1 v 1 on the left edge of the box, Iloski faked a move to his left, cut to his right, and quickly got a shot off to the far right corner for the game-winner. The sophomore forward now has three game-winners out of his four career goals.
67': We don't like ties!
— UCLA Men's Soccer (@UCLAMSoccer) September 27, 2018
Milan Iloski makes the deadlock a short-lived one with a right-footed shot past Callender. UCLA leads 2-1.#GoBruins | #UCLAvsCal pic.twitter.com/gLvwTxyenv
Garces made the save of the game for UCLA in the 54th minute, moving from his right to his left to negate a close-range header from Beqaj. He made a season-high four saves in the win, improving his record to 2-2 on the year.
UCLA is right back in action on Sunday, taking on No. 12 Stanford on Sunday evening at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:0054': Great save from Justin Garces, as he makes a close-range stop of a Cal header to maintain the shutout.
— UCLA Men's Soccer (@UCLAMSoccer) September 27, 2018
Tune in on the Pac-12 Network now: https://t.co/H8xwEYky1c …#GoBruins | #UCLAvsCal pic.twitter.com/dZW3ftVAxe
Team Stats
Terwege, Brandon (1)
Assisted By: Knox, Alex , Hundley, Matt
GOAL by UCLA Terwege, Brandon (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Knox, Alex and Hundley, Matt, goal number 1 for season.
17:00
Kadono, Shinya (9)
GOAL by CAL Kadono, Shinya, goal number 9 for season.
62:20
Iloski, Milan (1)
GOAL by UCLA Iloski, Milan, goal number 1 for season.
66:42
