It took just 43 seconds for Boston College men’s soccer to fall behind for the first time all season in its match against No. 20 Syracuse on Friday night.
Following a misplayed ball by BC’s Marc Boye, Syracuse’s Michael Acquah took possession and slotted a pass to Gabe Threadgold, who placed it into the back of the net with a low-driven shot.
The Eagles (2–0–3, 0–0–1 Atlantic Coast) looked to bounce back quickly, however, and led several attacks against Syracuse (2–1–2, 0–0–1). The Eagles ultimately tied things up behind a goal from Michael Asare 21:20 into the match, but that was the end of scoring for either team as the match ended in a 1–1 tie.
Asare managed to seize possession at the 4:12 mark and chipped it toward the top-left corner, but a diving save from Tomas Hut kept the Orange in front.
That was just the beginning of a dominant outing from the freshman forward, who forced another save at the 5:37 mark before getting on the score sheet for the first time in his collegiate career 21:20 into the match.
The play started with Leo Guarino receiving the ball on the right flank and spinning between two defenders to break into space. Guarino continued to carry the ball into the Orange’s box where he beat three more defenders and then laid off a pass to Asare, who tapped it into the net with a right-footed shot.
The rest of the first half came and went quietly as neither team could muster a goal despite tallying 11 shots between the teams.
The second half started the same way the first half ended, with neither team able to break through the opposition’s defense. At the 61:33 and 62:24 marks, Bryan Toro got off the first shots of the half, but both ended up blocked by Syracuse defenders.
Syracuse’s first real chance of the half came 66:36 into the match when the ball bounced in front of the BC net. Following a mad scramble and a ricocheting ball, Eagles’ goalkeeper Brennan Klein managed to fall on the ball and keep the game tied.
As the game winded down, the Eagles’ play intensified.
After a corner 81:25 into the match, the ball fell to Diego Ochoa around 30 yards out. The distance didn’t seem to faze him as he launched a rocket toward the top corner of the net that just barely went over the bar.
The Eagles followed up that attempt at the 88:39 mark when Asare found himself through on goal with a chance to win the game. A sliding save from Hut denied BC the opportunity as the ball went out for a throw-in.
Off the throw-in, Toro found the ball with his head and directed it on target, but Hut made yet another diving save to keep the Orange level with BC.
The resulting corner again found Toro, who laced a shot toward goal, but instead of finding the back of the net, it found a Syracuse defender, and the game finished tied at 1–1.
The draw extended the Eagles’ unbeaten streak to five games to open the year, which is their longest unbeaten start since the 2018 season. As BC looks to extend the streak, its next matchup will be at home against defending national champions Clemson, which currently ranks second in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll.
