Kangaroos Fight Back From 11th-minute Oakland Goal To Earn 1-1 Draw, Postseason Spot

Saturday, November 10

Bourke Field

1:00 p.m. CT

Kansas City

Oakland

Kangaroos Fight Back From 11th-minute Oakland Goal To Earn 1-1 Draw, Postseason Spot

11/10/2007 5:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer

By: UMKC Athletics

Kansas City, Mo. -- The Kangaroos hosted the Summit League regular-season champion-elect Oakland on Saturday afternoon, needing a win or tie to return to the postseason for the ninth time in head coach Rick Benben's 10-year tenure. A bit of nervousness would cost UMKC an early goal, but the team settled into the match in the second half to earn the needed result, a 1-1 draw.

UMKC pressured early but Oakland would strike first. In the 11th minute, Sebastian Harris took a touch into space off the right wing before finding Michael Reyes with an incisive through ball. Reyes collected the pass and curled the ball around a diving Ken Cooper and inside the back post.

The Kangaroos had a solid chance in the 22nd minute, but Kyle Perkins' shot was collected by Steve Clark.

UMKC put together a second chance in the 28th minute, but Clark was again up to the challenge. Neither team was able to string together a clear opportunity, and Oakland went into the intermission up 1-0.

The Blue-and-Gold recaptured the momentum out of the break, but Oakland nearly found a way to double its lead in the 49th minute. The ball squirted through a crowd, finding the foot of Sebastian Harris. Cooper and John David Hernandez converged on the ball and Harris was unable to get a good touch on the ball, as the Kangaroo netminder corralled the loose ball.

Brian Harris gave the Kangaroos new life in the 56th minute, knotting the score at 1-1. Garret Guthrie found Harris on the left corner of the penalty area, and the Edwardsville, Ill., native drilled a low shot to the back post past the outstretched arms of Steve Clark.

With the goal, UMKC seemed to find new vigor, pressing the attack as the second half wore on.

Ali Dorri nearly struck for the Kangaroos in the 71st minute, but his curling free kick just missed the upper corner of the goal.

Although Oakland pressured the attack as the second half wound down, Dorri's chance would be the last serious threat for either team.

The Kangaroos had an opportunity to claim the win in the 95th minute, winning a corner kick. John Bayron Sosa sent the ball into a crowd, but Josh White wasn't quite able to nod the ball on goal.

A cross in the 100th minute nearly turned golden for UMKC as well, as Sosa flighted a ball across the six-yard box, but Brian Harris wasn't able to stretch out and get a touch on the ball.

With a tie suiting both teams, the second overtime was unremarkable until the 110th minute. Oakland was whistled for a handball just three yards outside the penalty area, and as time ticked down UMKC hurried to line up the shot. Sosa's effort was well struck but sailed wide, leaving the teams to the 1-1 draw.

With the draw, UMKC finishes the regular season with a 2-2-2 record in Summit League play, good for fourth place. Cooper recorded three saves in the win, with Clark recording four. The Kangaroos held a 15-10 edge in shots, while Oakland committed 28 fouls to 21 for UMKC.

These two teams will meet again in six days' time, as Oakland is the top seed in The Summit League Championships, hosted by IUPUI. Kick-off for Friday's semi-final match has not yet been announced.