Kansas City
4-4-3, 2-1-2
Denver
7-2-5, 2-0-2
Men's Soccer Stifles No. 8 Denver to Pick Up Draw
10/15/2022 10:30:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The match was tied for 88-of-90 minutes as both teams battled for a hard-earned league point
DENVER, Colo. - Kansas City Men's Soccer went toe-to-toe with one of the nation's top-ten teams on Saturday evening, playing No. 8 Denver to a 1-1 draw on a brisk evening in the Mile High City. The battle between two of the Summit League's top teams lived up to expectations, as the score was tied for all but 119 seconds. Christian Koffi scored his third goal of the season to equalize in the 43rd minute, and Kansas City's defense allowed zero shots on goal in the second half.
KEY MOMENTS
- 12' / 0-0 | Seth Kacich played a ball from near midfield to the top of the box, finding Koffi. Koffi brought the ball down, reversed course and created separation for a looping shot towards the upper-right corner, which DU goalkeeper Isaac Nehme leapt to block away.
- 18' 0-0 | The Pioneers held possession within Kansas City's box, as DU's Sam Bassett made a move and fired a shot. Kacich read his move the entire way, stepping in and blocking the shot away.
- 26' / 0-0 | Arne Neufang ran up the middle of the pitch and fired a shot that was deflected out of bounds for a corner kick. On the ensuing set play, the ball found its way back to Koffi for his second shot on goal of the day.
- 41' / 0-1 | Kansas City set up for a corner kick, but nobody was there to meet the ball at the top of the box, sparking a counter attack opportunity for Denver. DU's Kengo Ohira cut all the way up the left side of the field, sneaking a shot into the back of the net.
- 43' / 1-1 | The Roos did not stay behind for long, thanks to Koffi's third goal of the year. Denver looked to move the ball around the back line, but Koffi, in hot pursuit of the center back, stepped in front of a pass and caught the keeper off his line, blocking the ball into the net.
Needed a response and Christian was there to make a play ????#ROOUP | #DeclareKC https://t.co/jif1CiqfOt pic.twitter.com/tfQv6yzUoW
— Kansas City Men's Soccer (@KCRoosMSoccer) October 16, 2022
- 62' / 1-1 | Kansas City earned its first chance of the second half as Edson Murguia played a ball to Kazuki Kimura, who found Koffi at the top of the box. Koffi made a move in and sent a shot towards the back post, but Nehme dove to his right and made a finger-tip save.
- 74' / 1-1 | Denver put together an opportunity in the box, as the ball was centered to the Pioneers' Aidan O'Toole. O'Toole wanted a chance at the goal, but Cade Martin came sliding in to neutralize the shot.
- 87' / 1-1 | The Pioneers took a corner kick that was cleared away by the Roos' defense, finding Kimura. Kimura sprinted through the entire DU defense, leaving nobody between himself and the keeper. He ripped a shot towards goal, but Nehme dove to his right, using an outstretched arm to make the save on the final shot on goal of the night.
STATS TO NOTE
- The Pioneers out-shot the Roos, 16-12, but Kansas City owned the advantage in shots on goal, allowing just two.
- Koffi kept on pace with his league-leading shot rate, ripping five shots and placing four on goal.
- Kimura provided the Roos a valuable 54 minutes from the bench, taking four shots.
- Denver's two shots on goal were the fewest by a KC opponent all season and tied the Pioneers' fewest in a game in the past two seasons.
- Kotaro Hirokawa, Kacich, Martin and Jack Dean all played 90 minutes for the Roos. Kacich has played full-time in each of the past four games.
- Both teams entered the match in a tie for first place with seven points in league play. However, with the draw and an Oral Roberts win over Eastern Illinois, the Golden Eagles jumped into the top spot with nine points.
- Tonight's result extends the streak between KC and DU to three-straight draws, including a pair of draws late in the 2021 season.
- The draw marks the Roos' second result against a nationally-ranked opponent in the Ryan Pore era, with the first coming against No. 15 Virginia Tech in last year's season-opener. It is KC's first result against a top-ten opponent since the Roos defeated No. 3 Creighton on Sep. 13, 2008.
COACH RYAN PORE, QUOTED
"I thought we totally controlled the game and played it on our terms. The result is a product of our preparation this week, and I thought we played with great maturity tonight. We have to build on this and finish the conference season strong."
UP NEXT
The Roos remain on the road for a league matchup next week, traveling to Eastern Illinois for a meeting with the Panthers on Oct. 22 at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Kengo Ohira (1)
GOAL by Denver Ohira, Kengo.
40:05
Christian Koffi (3)
GOAL by KCR Koffi, Christian.
42:04
