UCLA and California Play Strong – But California Wanted it More
While the Bruins outshot California (11-5-0, 6-3-0), 15-13, including 8-5 in shots on goal, also holding a 10-2 advantage in corner kicks, California’s goals carried the day.
College Soccer News: Milan Iloski and Anderson Asiedu each scored as the UCLA men’s soccer team fell at California, 3-2, on Sunday afternoon from Edwards Stadium in a Pac-12 matchup. The loss drops the Bruins to 4-5-0 in Pac-12 play and 7-9-1 overall on the season.
“Today’s result was disappointing on many fronts,” said head coach Jorge Salcedo. “We beat ourselves and that has been a theme throughout the season.”
“We gave games away and today was a microcosm of the year. Not good enough in front of our goal and our opponent’s goal.”
“It is such a bitter taste we all have because this group deserved more, but it will force us to take a long, hard look at all facets of our program,” said Salcedo.
Trailing 2-1 late in the second half, Asiedu would tie the match with a great individual effort in the 79th minute.
He would receive a pass on the left side of the penalty area, fight his way to the middle of the field through several Cal defenders and strike a shot to the upper-far corner. It is Asiedu’s second goal of the season.
California would score the game-winning goal just seconds later as Jose Carerra-Garcia flipped a pass in the 80th minute into the box for Shinya Kadono who hit a low shot for his seventh goal of the season.
UCLA was down by a goal after the first half but Milan Iloski was able to find the equalizer in the 54th minute.
His brother, Brian Iloski, moved his was down the left side of the field toward the goal line and passed back to Milan Iloski who drilled his shot to the near post for his third goal of the year.
Check out Anderson Asiedu's goal that tied this match at 2-2.#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/jpfXZEJyKy
— UCLA Men's Soccer (@UCLAMSoccer) November 5, 2017
The Golden Bears regained the lead 22 seconds later as UCLA was unable to clear the ball out of the box as it fell to the foot of Francisco Perez just outside the 18-yard line and his low shot beat Kevin Silva to the far-left post for his second goal of the match.
Cal jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the seventh minute when Aravind Sivakumar found Perez up the right side of the field and his shot was deflected off a Bruin defender and into the back of the net.
The Bruins had some good scoring chances at the end of the first half looking to tie the match.
The best came in the final seconds of the opening period when Asiedu served a cross in front of goal that found Brian Iloski for a header but his attempt went off the post.
Silva finished the match with two saves, while California’s Drake Callender registered six saves.
“The attrition we have had over the last three years of players leaving early for professional opportunities has obviously impacted us,” added Salcedo.
“When you have a season like we did this year, it forces you to find the best path forward. We will learn from this and come back with a hunger and desire to be our best again.”
The Bruins will play its regular-season finale on Saturday, Nov. 11 on the road at San Diego State at 7 p.m. PT from the SDSU Sports Deck. The match will be live streamed on GoAztecs.com.
