As rain made its way into Los Angeles on Saturday, No. 21 UCLA men’s soccer (7-1-4, 3-1-2 Big Ten) brought the thunder in its third home matchup in a row, triumphing 2-1 over Ohio State (6-3-2, 1-3-1).
The match opened with pressure from both sides, as Ohio State adjusted its formation early in an attempt to disrupt UCLA’s momentum.
In the first 13 minutes of the game, the Buckeyes fired off three shots, but the Bruins fought back. Junior defender Henry Jeffcott and fifth-year forward Finot Pie worked together to maintain possession on the left side of the field and drive the ball into the opponents’ half.
Sophomore midfielder Adrian Aguilar said the team was able to adapt early in the match.
“In the beginning of the game, I thought we started off well, executing the tactics well,” Aguilar said. “(Ohio State) actually rolled out with something a little different, so kept us on our toes a little bit. We had to adjust a little bit and improvise, but the group stuck together well.”
Both teams were tense in the first half, making efforts to beat the deadlock.
After the 25th minute, Jeffcott stole the ball from an Ohio State player, dismantling the pressure before sending a through ball to Pie. Pie broke away, cut into Ohio State’s box and lobbed a curved shot into the right corner that slid inches over the post – a moment that had UCLA fans on the edge of their seats.
UCLA controlled the pace of the game while pressing into Ohio State’s half of the field, an effort led by junior midfielder Jaime Amaro. After a turnover, Amaro – who is tied for most goals on the squad with five – broke away, outrunning defenders and sending a shot flying just over the top post in the final minutes before halftime, adding to the four total shots against the Buckeyes in the first half.
With the score at 0-0 entering halftime, the Bruins looked to enter the second period with some magic.
UCLA returned from the break with an immediate increase in tempo and energy. Sophomore midfielder Ander Marticorena and fifth-year forward Diego Castano were able to make runs behind the Buckeyes’ defense multiple times.
The Bruins continued to push forward and, in the 50th minute, Castano leaned into a cross and collided with the Buckeyes’ goalie, resulting in a penalty kick. Castano took the shot, driving the ball into the lower right corner to give UCLA the 1-0 lead.
The Spanish duo, Castano and Marticorena, kept finding each other and creating plays, and, in the 65th minute, Castano received a lob from the back line that he chipped over the goalkeeper’s head to extend the Bruins’ lead.
Coach Ryan Jorden said the squad’s performance was an all-around effort from the team and that his bench players continue to show up when needed.
“We’ve got a lot of really good players on our team, and Diego doesn’t start tonight, and I look at substitutes as not substitutes – they’re impact guys,” Jordan said. “(Diego) comes on, he makes a major impact in the game, and he wasn’t alone. We had a handful of other guys who made a big impact for us and helped us get the result – obviously, his shows up on the score sheet.”
As the game progressed, Ohio State increased its aggression and heavily marked Castano to prevent further attempts at goal.
In the 72nd minute, the Buckeyes were close to scoring as they sent a cross into the Bruins’ box that was deflected by Jeffcott and saved by sophomore goalkeeper Ryan Tiltack. However, a VAR review confirmed a handball on Jeffcott, giving Ohio State a penalty kick.
Tiltack dove left as defender Martin Wurschmidt shot the ball right, giving the Buckeyes their first goal of the match.
“I honestly didn’t see the (handball) – I would have loved to see on the screen,” Tiltack said. “Henry didn’t think it touched his arm, so we had to trust him – it was one of those where the ball is bouncing around the box and it’s bound to hit some part of the body, and sometimes it’s your hand. It’s just unfortunate.”
Despite the penalty, the Bruins continued to play with diligence, firing off 14 shots through the game and securing the 2-1 win.
The Bruins are now riding a four-game win streak and will prepare to hit the road for away games against Wisconsin and Northwestern.
“It’s the momentum, it’s the confidence that comes with it,” Jorden said. “It’s your team having some identity and feeling really like they know how we’re trying to play – the joy that comes with it when you’re winning is fantastic. It’s what this game’s about, it’s what you work so hard for to get to places and nights like this where you can win big games, important games. I’m really proud of the guys for the work they put in.”
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