ORLANDO (Feb. 20, 2021) – The University of South Florida men's soccer team traveled to Orlando on Saturday night, to pick up its first win of the season with a 2-1 victory over No. 14 UCF in the season's first edition of the War on I-4.
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The first goal came within the first 12 minutes from a free-kick that was lofted into the box.
Oscar Resano (Mexico City, Mexico) was able to do a quick turn on the defender and slip the ball to the far post to give the Bulls the early lead.
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USF only had one shot in the first half and was able to convert, while UCF (1-2, 1-2 AAC) held an 11-1 shot advantage at the half.
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The Bulls (1-2, 1-2 AAC) continued to apply pressure in the second half, outshooting the Knights 10-9, which led to
Henrique Gallina (Atibaia, Brazil) netting a goal from a corner by
Victor Claudel (Strasbourg, France) in the 54
th minute.
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UCF was able to get on the board late in the second half when a ball was played across and a mistouch by the Bulls put it in the back of the net.
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Trey Jackson (Ocala, Fla.) led the Bulls with three shots and seven other Bulls recorded shots on goal.
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USF goalkeeper
Kazuna Takase (Tomoto, Japan) rose to the challenge and tallied a career-best 12 saves on the night.
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Scoring Summary
USF –
Oscar Resano (Unassisted; 11:46)
USF –
Henrique Gallina (
Victor Claudel; 54:41)
UCF – UCF Team (Unassisted; 81:25)
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                            1             2             F
USFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
UCFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1
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Shots: USF 11, UCF 20
Shots on Goal: USF 8, UCF 12
Saves: USF 12, UCF 6
Corner Kicks: USF 3, UCF 12
Fouls: USF 7, UCF 7
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Notable
- Saturday's game against UCF was the second of two games that the Bulls will have played against members of the TopDrawerSoccer.com Top 25 … USF faced No. 8 SMU last week in Tampa.
- The win marked the first win over a ranked team since the Bulls defeated No. 5 Louisville, 2-0, on Sept. 9, 2019.
- USF's win over UCF improves its all-time record over the Knights to 23-7-3, and 9-3-3 in Orlando.
- Through Saturday's game, the Bulls have outscored the Knights, 67-38, in the all-time series.
Up Next
Following Saturday's game at UCF, USF will end the two-match road stretch at Temple on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. (ESPN+) ... USF will return home to Corbett Stadium on March 6, at 7 p.m., to host Tulsa.
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About USF Men's Soccer
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Men's Soccer news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
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USF Men's Soccer competed in the school's first ever intercollegiate athletic contest on Sept. 25, 1965, beating Florida Southern 4-3. Since then, the oldest program on campus has built a winning tradition, claiming 14 conference championships and making 21 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 3 trips to the elite eight.
The program also has a strong reputation within the professional game and boasts 27 MLS draft picks. Notable alumni include two-time MLS Golden Boot winner Jeff Cunningham, USA 1994 World Cup star Roy Wegerle, and 2013 MLS Cup winner Dom Dwyer.
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The Bulls have advanced to the postseason in 18 of the past 19 years, including 12 NCAA Tournament appearances during that period.
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USF Soccer concluded the 2019 season with an 11-7-1 overall record, earning an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. Four players earned AAC honors, highlighted by first team selections Avionne Flanagan and Javain Brown. Adrian Billhardt was tabbed a second team selection. In addition, Brown and Salvatore Mazzaferro were named to The AAC All-Rookie Team. Head coach Bob Butehorn returns to lead USF in his fourth season on the sidelines.
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– #GoBulls –