Oct. 16, 2009
SAN DIEGO -
The San Diego State men's soccer team took a 1-0 lead in the 52nd minute on a goal by redshirt senior captain Matt McManus (Santa Clarita, Calif.), but gave up two goals over the final 5 minutes, 19 seconds, in a 2-1 overtime loss to 16th-ranked Stanford Friday afternoon at SDSU Sports Deck. Playing their fourth consecutive overtime match, and without senior preseason All-American and captain Nick Cardenas (Thornton, Colo.), senior leading scorer Evan Toft (Aurora, Colo.) and redshirt sophomore starter Justin Davies (San Diego/Brooks School (Mass.)), the Aztecs fell to 3-4-4 on the season and 0-2-2 in Pac-10 play.
Making a triumphant return to the starting lineup after missing the first nine games (he played Sunday against No. 2 UCLA) of the season with broken bones in his face, McManus gave SDSU a 1-0 lead early in the second half off a corner kick. Senior Daniel Ortega (San Diego/Eastlake HS) sent in the kick from the left side to the near post where sophomore Daniel Steres (Calabasas, Calif.) beat two Cardinal (8-2-1, 2-1-1 Pac-10) players to the ball and headed it to the far post. There, McManus finished easily, heading a shot into the right corner for his seventh career goal.
San Diego State held the 1-0 lead for most of the second half until Stanford's Garrett Gunther headed in a cross from Dominique Yahyavi into the right corner at 86:19.
The equalizer came minutes after the Cardinal put together an offensive flurry close to the Aztec net where SDSU redshirt junior goalkeeper Brad Byrns (Alamo, Calif.) and his defense stood tall. Stanford's Evan Morgan headed a cross towards the net that McManus headed out of the six-yard area. Adam John ripped the rebound attempt low at Byrns, who saved it off the line. Jahn then took another shot inside the box but Byrns was there once again to punch it over the crossbar.
In overtime, a San Diego State player was whistled for a foul deep in its side of the field. Ryan Thomas sent the left-footed free kick from the right side into the upper-left corner for the game-winner at the 91:38 mark.
McManus, Ortega and junior Raymundo Reza (Denver, Colo.) had two shots apiece for the Aztecs.
Byrns (3-4-3) played all 91:38 in net and made five saves.
SDSU plays host to its fourth straight ranked opponent on Sunday with a 2 p.m. match against No. 6 California.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Redshirt senior Matt McManus (Santa Clarita, Calif.) earned Man of the Match honors for his impressive play all over the field. McManus, who returned to action Sunday against No. 2 UCLA after missing the first nine games with broken bones in his face, made his first start and scored SDSU's only goal on a header in the 52nd minute. McManus, who started in the backfield, also arguably saved a goal by heading a ball out of the net in the 84th minute. He also gave the Aztecs a plethora of chances near the net with his long throws from the sidelines. In addition, McManus played all 92 minutes of the overtime affair.