90th-Minute Goal Lifts Akron to 2-1 Victory at Michigan State

Monday, August 30

East Lansing, Mich.

7:00 PM

University of Akron

2-0-0, 0-0-0

Michigan State

1-1-0, 0-0-0

Akron

Michigan St.

90th-Minute Goal Lifts Akron to 2-1 Victory at Michigan State

August 30 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

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BOXSCORE (PDF)

EAST LANSING, Mich. – University of Akron men's soccer freshman Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) capped a come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Michigan State (1-1) on Monday, Aug. 30, scoring the game-winning goal for the Zips (2-0) with 25 seconds remaining in regulation.

The tally was the second in as many games for Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal, who fired a laser to the back of the net from 15 yards out off an assist from senior Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal), his second assist of the night.

The triumph was the Akron's second consecutive 2-1 victory on the Spartans' home pitch at DeMartin Stadium and served as the fifth straight win overall past Michigan State.

"Winning on the road is not easy, you have to battle and find ways to win," Akron head coach Jared Embick commented. "Today our guys off the bench really lifted us. Shoky (Jason Shokalook), Diogo (Pacheco) and Kuzri (Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal) came in the game and lifted us. When our team finds its game and rythm we can score in bunches. We have showed a ruthlessness that great teams have. We build from here and look forward to coming back to a great crowd for Friday's game."

After not securing a shot in the opening 45 minutes of play, the Zips came out on the attack in the second half and registered a 10-7 edge in shots, including a 3-1 margin in shots on goal. Akron and Michigan State concluded the evening with 10 shots apiece.

The opening half proved to be a defensive battle as Michigan State edged the Zips in first-half shots, 3-0, including posting the only shot on goal in the opening stanza.

The Spartans broke the stalemate in the 63rd minute (62:29) when Michael Miller floated a ball over senior goalkeeper Will Meyer's (Solon, Ohio) shoulder to give Michigan State a 1-0 lead.

Pacheco narrowly missed leveling the game at one at the 70:17 mark as his strike from the center of the box was inches off finding the corner of the net off passes from freshmen Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal.

Akron continued to attack the offensive third before finally breaking through with when freshman Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) netted the equalizer in the 79th minute (78:26) courtesy of an assist from Pacheco.

Meyer was stout in net for Akron in the match recording one save, while Hunter Morse collected a pair of stops for Michigan State.

Pacheco directed the Zips' offensive efforts recording a team-high three shots, while Shokalook and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal garnered two shots each. Miller led the Spartans with a game-high five shots.

UP NEXT
The Zips return home to host Robert Morris in a 7 p.m. match at FirstEnergy Stadium on Friday, Sept. 3.