Never Say Die - Roos Battle For Draw with Delaware, Clinch Share of Summit Title

Wednesday, November 5

Kansas City, Mo.

2:00 PM

Kansas City

10-2-5, 4-1-1

Delaware

12-1-3, 3-1-2

Delaware

Kansas City

Photo by: Anna Simms

Never Say Die - Roos Battle For Draw with Delaware, Clinch Share of Summit Title

11/5/2025 6:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Highlights Coach Pore Postgame Kistmann/Outman Postgame Photo Gallery

Kansas City battled back from deficit twice to earn its final standing atop the Summit League table

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Twice now in the past week, Kansas City Men's Soccer has had its back against the wall. On Saturday, the Roos found themselves in a two-goal deficit within the first 25 minutes and stormed back to beat UMass, 3-2. No big deal. Today, Kansas City was down by two goals entering the 70th minute and came back to tie the match up by the 76th. Bigger deal. Then, after conceding a goal in the 87th, the Roos remained calm and equalized from the penalty spot in the 89th. Huge deal, made no less huge by the fact that it helped the team move to 10-2-5 on the year and clinch a share of the Summit League regular season title.

The Roos finish with 13 points in league play, level atop the conference table with Denver, which drew with St. Thomas this afternoon. Kansas City will take the second seed into the Summit League Championships for the second-straight season and will get another chance at third-seeded Delaware at 5 p.m. CT on Sunday with a trip to the league finals on the line. The game will be hosted at Durwood Soccer Stadium, tickets for the semifinal match are available at kcroos.com/MSOCtix.

After settling into the match, Kansas City seemed to have control of the first half, peppering the Delaware side with shots. UD's JoJo Elliott stood strong in goal, making three saves in the half. Momentum jolted to the Blue Hens when a clearance was misplayed in the 42nd minute, resulting in an own goal and giving Delaware the lead.

The Roos looked to attack early in the second half, earning a pair of corners. The first was taken by Bryce Outman, sending an in-swinging ball that pushed its way on frame and forced Elliott to punch it away. The second corner found its way across the box and on the foot of Wade Muttitt, but his shot was saved at the goal line by a Delaware defender. Not five minutes later, Delaware struck again when a corner kick clearance was intercepted by Richard Monath. His following shot weaved through a host of Kansas City players and into the back of the net.

It would not have been hard for the Roos to concede the match, lick their wounds and look forward to the postseason, but that is not the quality of this team. Kansas City instead continued pushing, and it finally paid off in the 71st minute. Jeremy Francou played a ball to Bryce Outman, shaking off a defender and putting a shot on frame that was batted away. Kansas City retained possession, cycling the ball out to Kenny Yedmel on the edge of the attacking third. Yedmel sent a pass over the entire Delaware back line, placing the ball perfectly to Outman, who would not be denied a second time and gave KC life with his second goal of the year.

Rejuvenated by the Outman goal, the Roos continued pressuring the Blue Hens and quickly found the equalizer. Shotaro Kodama sparked the counter attack, and the sequence that ensued was a thing of beauty. Kodama played Francou for a one-touch back to Kodama. One-touch to Elie Kisoka, one-touch back to Kodama. Kodama charged forward, finding Raphael Kistmann all alone on the left side of the box for a clinical finish.

Multiple times in the following minutes, Kansas City looked as if it was going to take the lead. Kistmann had a couple more opportunities and Kisoka took a half volley that required the save of the year from Elliott to stay out of goal. Then, it was Delaware's turn once again. Another cross created chaos in the 87th minute and a mishit ball found Monath, securing the brace and putting UD ahead.

Kansas City dusted itself off and with just over a minute to play, Guille Munoz drew a foul in the box and set up a penalty kick for Kistmann. The senior's composure shone through in the high-pressure moment, delaying his strike for long enough to see Elliott's direction and going the opposite way. The kick secured a point for the Roos and was just enough to give KC its first regular season conference title since 2010.

The Roos enter the postseason on a tie for the longest unbeaten streak in program history, matching the 2003 and 2024 teams' seven-game unbeaten runs. Kansas City begins its defense of the Summit League Championship title on its home pitch, hosting a postseason game for the first time in program history. The Roos will have to answer the call against the nation's top scoring offense once again as the Blue Hens will remain in town for Sunday's semifinal match.