Ghaffur’s Goal Highlights Zips’ Exhibition Opener Versus Denver

Saturday, August 11

Akron, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Denver (EXH)

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Ghaffur’s Goal Highlights Zips’ Exhibition Opener Versus Denver

August 11 | Men's Soccer

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AKRON, Ohio – The fourth-ranked University of Akron men's soccer team opened its exhibition campaign battling Denver for 120 minutes on Saturday, Aug. 11, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field before the two teams exited the affair in a 1-1 draw.

In a contest scheduled for two 45-minutes periods and a 30-minute extra session, the Pioneers registered an 88th-minute (87:54) goal from Brooks Crawford to assume a 1-0 advantage heading into the bonus period. In the final 30 minutes of play, sophomore Faisal Ghaffur (Mississauga, Ontario) connected on the equalizer at the 97:02 mark off an assist from sophomore Peter Zecca (Weston, Mass) to account for the final 1-1 score.

Twenty-nine Zips earned playing time in the affair, including 17 newcomers, while 26 players hit the pitch for the Pioneers.

The Zips bettered Denver on the evening in shots, 8-7, including posting a 5-1 margin in shots on goal. Sophomore David Egbo (Enugu, Nigeria) paced Akron with a game-high three shots, while redshirt freshman Braden Petno (Hudson, Ohio) added two shots in reserve duty. Andre Shinyashiki, the 2017 Summit League Player of the Year, led the Pioneers with a team-high three shots.

The Zips nearly garnered the game's first goal in the opening minute of play as Egbo recorded back-to-back shots inside the box. He struck a ball inside the six-yard box that hit the cross bar before he redirected the deflection and struck a ball that was cleared off the line for a team save by a Denver defenseman.

Senior Abdi Mohamed (Westerville, Ohio) and freshman Colin Biros (Canton, Ohio) added shots that went high in the first half, before Egbo's shot in the 44th minute (43:13) was pulled in for a save by Denver goalkeeper Nick Gardner.

The Pioneers outshot the Zips in the second half, 5-0, with the lone shot on net resulting in a goal by Crawford at the 87:54 mark. Moshe Perez earned the assist on the tally.

Ghaffur scored the equalizer on a header in the 98th minute (97:02) delivering Zecca's header from the left corner past Denver goalkeeper Will Palmquist.

Senior goalkeeper Ben Lundt (Berlin, Germany) played the opening 90 minutes for Akron and made one save, while redshirt sophomore Tor Saunders (Seattle, Wash.) went the final 30 minutes in net. Gardner, Kobe Gray and Palmquist all saw action in goal for the Pioneers.

The Zips close out the home portion of its exhibition campaign hosting Cleveland State on Monday, Aug. 13, in a 7 p.m. tilt at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.