SAN DIEGO – The Aztec men's soccer team (2-2-0) fell to Detroit Mercy 3-2 Sunday evening. After a scoreless first half, there were five goals in the second frame including three in a two-minute span late in the game while the Aztecs were playing with ten men.
The Titans tied the match at 1-1 in the 76th minute and then took their first lead in the 83rd minute. SDSU immediately responded in the 84th minute when Tevenn Roux converted a PK, but Detroit Mercy retook the lead less than a minute later and held on for the 3-2 win.
"Detroit Mercy was extremely competitive," head coach Lev Kirshner said after the game. "They fought, they grinded, they kicked and made the game absolutely miserable for us. At the end of the day, we've got to be better at closing out the game. There is no excuse for us to lose that game."
The Aztecs dominated the first half but were unable to find the back of the net. They held a 9-0 shot advantage in the opening 45 and had multiple dangerous crosses into the box.
In the 22nd minute, Pablo Pelaez scored on a beautiful free kick from 40 yards out, but the goal was called off and the refs indicated it was an indirect kick and that no player touched the ball before it went in.
In the 43rd minute, freshman Austin Wehner nearly scored on a sliding kick off a cross, but the ball hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced out.
After not having a single shot in the first half, the Titans had four (three on goal) in the opening 10 minutes of the second frame. The Titans ended up having a 9-7 shot advantage in the second half.
AJ Valenzuela gave SDSU the lead in the 58th minute when he scored from 20 yards out after a nice cutback move to set up his left foot.
"Coach told me at halftime to try to find the pockets in the middle and that's exactly what I did," Valenzuela explained. "I took it down the field and came into the middle and I saw both defenders committed already so I cut back and saw an opening on the far post, so I shot and thankfully I scored."
In the 70th minute, freshman Hunter George received a red card for an off the ball foul forcing the Aztecs to cling to a 1-0 lead with a man down.
Detroit Mercy got on the board in the 76th minute when Jake Reitzloff finished a Kyle Bandyk assist inside the near post. It was a tough break for the Aztecs as the ball deflected off defender Miles Stray then hit the post and then went off Watkin's back.
In the 83rd minute, they took the lead when Ryan Halloran headed in a Collin Cavanaugh cross.
A minute later, SDSU was fouled in the box to set up a penalty kick which Tevenn Roux calmly converted.
The tie didn't last long though as the Titans answered back less than a minute later when Ben Al-Gharabally scored from 30 yards out.
Max Watkin suffered his first loss of the season and collected three saves.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Emil Kjellker – Played a solid 90 minutes for the Aztecs and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
STAT OF THE MATCH
After outshooting the Titans 9-0 in the first half, Detroit Mercy held a 9-7 shot advantage in the second half.
THE NOTE I
Emil Kjellker and Pablo Pelaez were named to the All-Tournament Team
THE NOTE II
The Aztecs have scored at least two goals in all four of their matches.
QUOTE OF THE MATCH
"We were playing with 10 men, which completely affected the game and we had to make adjustments. We weren't going to play for the tie, so we put in an attacking group out there to go for the victory." Head Coach Lev Kirshner
UP NEXT
The Aztecs will play the next five matches on the road beginning with a Saturday evening tilt at Santa Clara.
2019 Courtyard San Diego Central Aztec Soccer Classic
Champion: San Diego
Runner-up: Detroit Mercy
Third Place: San Diego State
Fourth Place: Belmont
Most Outstanding Offensive Player: Miguel Berry*
Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Matt Wiher*
*Both on All Tournament Team
2019 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Henry Lander - USD
George West - USD
Aaron Frey - USD
Devin Mendez – Detroit Mercy
Garrett Weaver – Detroit Mercy
Rocco Galati – Detroit Mercy
Pablo Pelaez – SDSU
Emil Kjellker – SDSU
Niccolo Dagnoni – Belmont
Kyle Barks – Belmont
Aztecs Fall to Detroit Mercy, 3-2
