“Miracles do happen,” a Big Ten TV commentator said in the 86th minute.
The Bruins are usually relegated to standing stationary on the field as they watch their opponents celebrate a late-game goal and yet another win slip out of reach.
Just recall California’s goal in the 89th minute or Loyola Marymount’s in the 88th earlier this month.
But redshirt sophomore forward Sergi Solans Ormo flipped the script Friday night when he launched a hard-driven ball to the right corner of the net, which lit up the scoreboard and incited a blue and gold pile-up near UCLA’s bench.
UCLA men’s soccer (1-3-2, 1-0-0 Big Ten) edged out Northwestern (3-2-1, 0-1-0) at Wallis Annenberg Stadium to open Big Ten play. The Bruins earned their first victory of the year with a 1-0 result, halting a winless trend that defined the team’s worst start to a season since at least 1967.
It was Solans Ormo who ignited UCLA’s offense, but the forward’s game-winning goal was not his only attacking contribution.
The Oregon State transfer has seemingly become one of UCLA’s frontline centerpieces, and after notching his first goal as a Bruin in the squad’s last outing against LMU on Sept 7., Solans Ormo led his teammates with five shots – three of which came on frame.
Despite outshooting Northwestern 14-4, and holding its opponent to just a sole attempt on goal, UCLA did not pull ahead until less than ten minutes remained. The Bruins have struggled to find the back of the net this season – the squad had scored only two goals across five games prior to Friday evening.
The Bruins finally cracked the scoreless match in the 86th minute when, off a pass from sophomore defender Shakir Nixon, freshman forward Francis Bonsu dribbled into the box and sent his first collegiate assist past opposing defenders to Solans Ormo.
Fouls weakened the bite of a countering Northwestern attack, which otherwise struggled to maintain possession. Northwestern elicited five yellow cards to UCLA’s one, four of which came in the second half.
But the Bruins did not capitalize off of set pieces, and the team has not recorded a goal this season from a free or corner kick – despite earning seven corner attempts Friday night.
A career-best seven saves from Northwestern goalkeeper Rafael Ponce de Leon was not enough to compensate for his team’s relatively silent offense, which forced just one save from UCLA counterpart freshman Ryan Tiltack en route to his second collegiate shutout.
Déjà vu may be in store for coach Ryan Jorden’s few returning starters, as the Bruins’ opening conference slate mirrors their 2024 schedule – just like this season, the squad began Big Ten play with a victory against Northwestern and is subsequently set to face Wisconsin.
And since Northwestern’s scoring opportunities were sparse throughout Friday night’s game, next week’s continuation of Big Ten play will likely promise more of the same – as Wisconsin is the only conference team that ranks below UCLA in shots and shots on goal.
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