Roos Fight Past ORU's Late Equalizer to Earn Summit Finals Berth

Thursday, November 10

Denver, CO

2:00 PM

Kansas City

7-4-5, 4-1-3

Oral Roberts

11-4-2, 7-1-0

Kansas City

Oral Roberts

Photo by: Morgan Engel

Roos Fight Past ORU's Late Equalizer to Earn Summit Finals Berth

11/10/2022 5:37:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Arne Neufang used a masterful free kick goal in the 95th minute of play to will the Roos into the Summit League Championship match

DENVER, Colo. - After taking a two-goal lead late in the second half, adversity struck for Kansas City Men's Soccer in their Summit League Semifinal match against top-seeded Oral Roberts this afternoon. The Roos allowed the Golden Eagles to equalize with two goals in the final five minutes of regulation, forcing overtime with all the momentum in ORU's favor. However, the Roos remained poised, earning a 95th-minute game-winner on a free kick from Arne Neufang that propelled KC to the upset victory and secured a Summit League Finals berth.

KEY MOMENTS

16' / 0-0 | Oral Roberts earned the first shot of the day after 15 minutes of play, but it was high of the mark.
18' / 0-0 | The Roos got their lone shot of the first half just moments later as Christian Koffi settled a ball in the box, but he was surrounded by ORU defenders and his attempt was blocked.
29' / 0-0 | The Golden Eagles had the only shot on goal of the first half, but a diving save to the near post by Cooper Clark kept the game scoreless.
55' / 0-0 | In his first action since Oct. 25, Cade Martin dropped down to a knee in the box and turned his back on an ORU shot, blocking it away.
62' / 0-0 | A Kansas City free kick bounced around the box for a moment before playing out to Kazuki Kimura. Kimura launched a shot from 25-yards out, placing it for KC's first shot on goal of the day, but ORU's keeper made the save.
67' / 1-0 | Koffi took the ball on the left side at the top of the box and played a shot, which was deflected by the Golden Eagles' defense. Shfeo Lar disrupted play and deflected the ball to the foot of Edson Murguia, who used his left foot to deposit the ball into the lower-right corner for a goal.

No better time for @emurguia_10's first goal of the season ?? https://t.co/BCdMsEHn3J pic.twitter.com/y9kyhFlyXO
— Kansas City Men's Soccer (@KCRoosMSoccer) November 10, 2022

71' / 1-0 | Kansas City continued its potent second-half attack, finding Murguia again for a burner that was barely saved.
79' / 2-0 | From midfield, Jack Dean played a beautiful ball to Kimura, running up the right sideline. Kimura played the ball back to Koffi at the top of the box, who took a touch and launched a rocket into the net to put KC up by two.

The boys are on ?????? https://t.co/KD8aK6ng7u pic.twitter.com/sJdpYUyZzN
— Kansas City Men's Soccer (@KCRoosMSoccer) November 10, 2022

85' / 2-1 | A foul was called on Seth Kacich in the box, setting up a penalty kick that allowed the Golden Eagles to draw back within a goal.
90' / 2-2 | A last-ditch attack by Oral Roberts was successful as the Golden Eagles tied the game up with just three seconds remaining in regulation.
95' / 3-2 | A hand ball just outside the box set up Arne Neufang for a free kick, using his right foot to bend the ball around the ORU wall and outside the outstretched arms of the keeper for the eventual game-winner.

ARNE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR MOMENTUM. https://t.co/Fy4A7f9Xss pic.twitter.com/e8leJX3Al7
— Kansas City Men's Soccer (@KCRoosMSoccer) November 10, 2022

100' / 3-2 | Oral Roberts had another last-second opportunity at the end of the first overtime, but Clark was right there for it, lunging to his right to make a save as time expired.

100' | The marvelous man @cooper_clark01 with a save as time expires in the first overtime ????? We enter the second 10 minutes with an advantage.

KC 3-2 ORU#ROOUP | #DeclareKC pic.twitter.com/BVV1114XFG
— Kansas City Men's Soccer (@KCRoosMSoccer) November 10, 2022

107' / 3-2 | The Golden Eagles had just one good opportunity in the second overtime period, a shot that ricocheted off the top woodwork. The Roos would hold on and secure their ticket to the Summit League Championship match.

STATS TO NOTE

The Roos have qualified for their first League Finals since the 2009 season, when KC defeated top-ranked Oakland, 2-1 in the Summit Semis before falling to No. 2 Western Illinois in the championship.
It was a bit of déjà vu for Kansas City, allowing the Golden Eagles to come back from a late two-goal deficit. In the 2020 regular season finale, Kansas City allowed ORU to score two goals in the final 70 seconds of regulation to force overtime. In that game, the Golden Eagles took the victory with a 96th minute goal. This time, fortune favored the Roos.
The Roos' three goals this afternoon tied a season-high, previously reached in wins over Bradley and Detroit Mercy. It is the first time KC has had three three-goal games since 2017.
A goal and an assist for Koffi, plus an assist by Kimura, gives the pair 15 points each on the year. That mark ties the most in a single season by a Roo since 2017, and is the fifth-most by a Summit League player this season.
After scoring one goal in his first 19 appearances as a Roo, Neufang has found his stride offensively, scoring goals in two-straight games.
An injury in the 16th minute forced Kotaro Hirokawa off the field, breaking his streak of seven-straight 80-plus minute showings.
Dean, Kacich, Carson Lindsey, Asier Olano and Joan Castells all remained on the field for the full 110 minutes.

COACH RYAN PORE, QUOTED

UP NEXT
The Roos will play in the Summit League Championship Finals on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT, taking on the winner of the second semifinal between Denver and Omaha. Kansas City earned 1-1 draws with both teams during the regular season.