Kansas City
Denver
Roos Shock Top-Seeded Denver, Advance to Summit League Title Match
11/9/2023 8:51:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Kansas City scored three goals on the Pioneers and advanced on a penalty kick shootout
TULSA, Okla. - Fourth-seeded Kansas City Men's Soccer (4-7-6, 2-2-2 Summit) played the role of one-seed slayer at the Summit League Championships for the second season straight, taking down top-seeded Denver (11-2-5, 7-0-1 Summit), 3-3 (5-4 PKs).
Denver scored the first two goals of the night, but the Roos maintained the course, scoring three goals unanswered to claim a lead early in the second half. The Pioneers equalized late in the game and Kansas City weathered a strong attack to force overtime.
Neither team made much noise in the extra time, forcing penalty kicks. Both teams made their first three penalties, missing the fourth. Then, both teams fifth penalty, missing the sixth. It came down to a Robin Balters save and a Miguel Fernandez conversion from the spot that advanced the Roos into the title match for the second year in-a-row.
KEY MOMENTS
- 1' / 0-0 | Carson Lindsey made his presence felt on Kansas City's first attacking opportunity of the day, sending a shot on goal and forcing Denver's Isaac Nehme into action.
- 3' / 0-1 | The Pioneers took an early lead on a goal by One Ofunrein.
- 19' / 1-2 | Ofunrein gave the Pioneers a two-goal advantage in the 18th minute, but it took little time for the Roos to respond. On the ensuing kickoff, Kansas City attacked quickly, resulting in blocked shots by Christian Koffi and Seth Kacich. Kacich's shot was played back to Mael Caisson, who found Lindsey for a one-time pass into the center of the box, which Koffi settled and sent firing into the back of the net.
- 30' / 2-2 | The Roos equalized as Caisson played the ball to Lindsey once again, who deked a defender and sent a cross to the far post. Nehme attempted to punch the ball away but missed and the pass found the left foot of Julien Le Bourdoulous, who pinged the ball into the net.
- 47' / 2-2 | Le Bourdoulous had a chance early in the second half, but Nehme was there for a save.
- 57' / 3-2 | Another Le Bourdoulous shot found the frame but was knocked out of bounds for a corner kick. The corner from Le Bourdoulous was an in-swinger, finding the head of Caisson and bouncing into the top-netting.
Beautifully played ??#ROOUP | #DeclareKC https://t.co/7Q2kgGqYr2 pic.twitter.com/710zTGN7IV
— Kansas City Soccer (@KCRoosMSoccer) November 9, 2023
- 67' / 3-2 | Denver's Ian Smith sent a shot towards the upper-right corner, but Balters went up and blocked the ball away for a key save.
- 74' / 3-3 | Ofunrein secured a hat trick and equalized the match.
- 90' / 3-3 | The Pioneers had another chance in the final minute of regulation, but Balters knocked the ball out of bounds and sent things to extra time.
- 94' / 3-3 | Carson Lindsey attempted a shot early in extra time, the only shot of the 20-minute period for the Roos. Denver didn't threaten either and the match went to penalty kicks.
- PK / 3-3 (5-4) | Kacich, Edson Murguia, Le Bourdoulous and Guille Munoz Villarejo all made penalties for the Roos, with Balters coming up with a pair of key saves. On the seventh PK round, Balters dove to the right and kept the ball out of net. Fernandez stepped up to the spot with a chance to win and converted, sending it straight down the middle and advancing the Roos to the finals.
STATS TO NOTE
- The Roos are in the conference final for the second year in-a-row. The last time that happened for KC was in the 2008 and '09 seasons, during Kansas City's first tenure in the Summit.
- Lindsey's two assists tied a Summit League Championship record. He becomes the 16th player in conference history to reach that mark in a single match.
- In Denver's previous 18 Summit League Tournament matches, the Pios had allowed just four goals total. In all eight games of conference play this season, Denver allowed just one goal. That changed today as the Roos put three goals into the back of the net.
- For Koffi and Caisson, their goals were their first of the season. Le Bourdoulous has now tied the team-high with three goals on the year.
- The Roos become the first team to ever eliminate the Pioneers in the Summit League Semifinal round. Previously, they were 9-0 in semifinal matches.
- This was KC's first penalty kick win since Nov. 16, 2008 against Oakland in the Summit League Finals. The Roos are 5-2 in PK shootouts all-time.
UP NEXT
Kansas City will play in the Summit League championship match on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., taking on the winner of #2 Oral Roberts and #3 Omaha. The Roos lost to ORU and drew with Omaha twice in the regular season.
