Strong Air Force Performance Ends in a Tie, 3-3

USAF ACADEMY – Air Force played Cal State Fullerton to a 3-3 tie in the 2021 home opener, Friday evening, at Cadet Soccer Stadium. The Falcons and Titans are both 0-3-1 on the season.

The Air Force offense was led by Thaddaeus Dewing and Lathan Spadafora who took five shots apiece. Four of Dewing's shots were on frame. Team captain Giuliano Daniel took four shots and Falcon midfielder Jacob Angeletti took three. Air Force outshot Fullerton, 25-19 on the match.

The Falcons' Ayman Bushara was the first to light the scoreboard with a shot plugged in off a goalkeeper deflection in the 32^nd minute.

Less than four minutes later, Bushara sent Tristan Trager a pass in the midfield where the senior midfielder finessed a no-look touch to Giuliano Daniel who sent a cruise missile to the top shelf, extending the Air Force lead, 2-0, in the 37^th minute. At the half, Air Force took 21 shots to Fullerton's 17.

The Falcons continued to press the attack, scoring a third goal in the 63^rd minute courtesy of Thaddaeus Dewing via touches from Wills Burns and London Aghedo.

Air Force, confident and comfortable, began to rotate in the substitutes when a foul in the penalty box yielded a PK to Sebastian Cruz. Cruz beat Air Force keeper Kainoa Likewise to the left post for their first goal in the 75^th minute. A mere 58-seconds later, Fullerton was awarded another penalty within the box, sending Cruz to the line again. Cruz hesitated and finished to the right, putting the Titans within striking distance with 14 minutes in regulation.

A chipper 10 minutes ensued with Fullerton scoring the equalizer with five seconds remaining in regulation, sending the Falcons into overtime minutes for the second time this season. A scoreless 20 minutes of extra time solidified the tie.

Kainoa Likewise made a season-best nine saves on the match while his counterpart Andrea Bonavia recorded 10 saves.

"It was one of the toughest ties I've ever experienced," lamented head coach Doug Hill. "Being up three goals and giving up two penalty kicks within a minute was hard to watch unfold. Even thought it was a tie, it feels like a loss in some ways. It wasn't because a lack of effort or opportunities, we just have to be better at managing the match and closing it out. Now it's important to bounce back and pbe ready to play our brand of soccer on Sunday."

The Falcons return to action at Cadet Soccer Stadium, Sunday (Sept. 12), against Evansville. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.

Footer

The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the u.s air force of non-u.s. government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although the u.s. air force may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for department of defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.