The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-3-4, 1-3-2 ACC) took a tough result on Friday night, drawing 1-1 with the Louisville Cardinals (5-5-3, 1-5-1 ACC) at Spry. For the Cardinals, this result snapped a 5 game
conference losing streak, although it did extend their winless streak to 8 games. For the Deacs meanwhile, it is a third game winless at home, and another opportunity to put themselves back in tournament contention that they were unable to take advantage of. The draw means that both sides are now in the bottom 5 of the ACC, with Louisville joint-bottom with Cal, Pitt, and Boston College, and the Deacs tied with VT on 5 points, just a point ahead of the 4 teams behind. This game was a back and forth blockbuster of a match that saw plenty of chances for both teams, but not enough for either side to separate themselves from the other.
The game got off to a white hot start, with both teams having some early attacking flurries. The Deacs got off to a quick start, piling the pressure on the Louisville defense in the first five minutes, but they were unable to direct an effort on frame despite the early pressure. The Cardinals were quick to respond with a flurry of their own, directing 5 shots at Wake’s goal in the next 10 minutes, the most dangerous of which came from midfielder T.J. Kahoalii in the 8th minute, who had the whole left side of the goal to shoot at after a great layoff from forward Michael Lee at the top of the box, but he dragged his effort just wide of the post. In the 10th minute, the Cardinals caught the Deacs playing out of the back, with keeper Jonah Mednard’s clearance being blocked by winger Bilal Camara and landing at the feet of Elijah Brijbasi inside the area, who headed it across to forward Chase Vazquez, but center back Daniel Krueger was able to get his body in front of the shot, after which Wake could clear.
After that 10 minute spell of dominance from the Cardinals, the Deacs got more of a handle on the game. They set up in more of a mid block, which allowed them to claim more of the second balls that Louisville tends to thrive on, which allowed them to maintain possession and control of the match. In the 25th minute, they almost grabbed the lead in bizarre fashion, with a Cooper Flax free kick from the top of the D deflecting off of Wake midfielder Jose Perez inside the area, but it banked just wide of Alex Sventanoff’s goal for a goal kick. In the 27th minute, the Deacs got their best chance of the half, with a long ball from right back Amoni Thomas finding its way to forward Harvey Sarajian, who was able to find Basit Umar behind him with a beautiful back heel. Umar beat his defender and found Sarajian again on the right side of the penalty area, who put a wonderful driven ball into the back post for an unmarked Tate Lorentz inside the six yard box, but Wake’s top scorer this season blazed his effort over the crossbar. Only moments later, an almost identical play unfolded at the other end, with the Cardinals latching onto a second ball and catching the Wake defense in transition. A great tackle from Daniel Krueger on Chase Vazquez looked as if it would end the danger, but right back Nicholas Parham was able to latch onto the loose ball, drive into the area, and put a perfect ball across to Michael Lee at the back post. However, Lee couldn’t connect cleanly with his sliding shot attempt in front of an open goal, and the ball went harmlessly wide for a goal kick.
After this chaotic sequence, Wake continued their spell of good play. They nearly found the opener in the 42nd minute through forward Ethan Subachan, who got on the end of a Cristian Escribano cross that found its way through a maze of bodies, but his curled attempt just inside the penalty area stayed wide of the post. In the 45th minute, though, the game would finally have its first goal. With about half a minute to go, Daniel Krueger would launch a long ball up the field to the left flank to winger Alfred Debah, who took an extraordinary first touch to kill the ball and beat fellow freshman Nicholas Parham to the inside. Debah strode forward into the space he created for himself and, just outside the area, fired a shot that kissed off the near post and into the back of the net for his first collegiate goal. It was a brilliant way for the freshman to open his Wake Forest account, and, when the buzzer sounded to end the half just 24 seconds later, the Deacs would go into the locker room with a one-goal lead as a result.
The game calmed down a bit in the second half, with the Deacs still largely controlling the flow of the game, but without the same volume or quality of chances coming to either team. Jonah Mednard was forced into action in the 51st minute, as Chase Vazquez was able to direct an effort on goal from a wide angle after some beautiful build up through Louisville’s midfield, but Mednard was able to get down to his left and parry the shot away. In the 68th minute, though, the game’s second goal came, and it was for the Cardinals. It came from thin air; the ball popped out to Michael Lee after a Jose Perez tackle had seemingly broken up the Louisville passage of play, and Lee played it ahead to Chase Vazquez at the top of the area. Vazquez took a touch outside to set up a shot on his left foot, smacking his effort off the crossbar, but the ball bounced right into the feet of forward Quinton Wilson, who tapped it into an open goal for his 3rd goal of the season and the Cardinals’ first goal in 429 minutes of soccer. The goal was initially ruled offside on the field, but there was little to deliberate on when it went to video review, and the center official would point to the center circle after a short delay.
Even though both teams sorely needed the win, neither could find a decisive goal in the last 22 minutes. Harvey Sarajian nearly made some magic in the 71st minute, taking a pass from Tate Lorentz up the field and getting the better of center back Noah De Blasis off the dribble, but he would drag his left footed attempt agonizingly wide of the far post for a goal kick. Louisville nearly found their winner late on with a couple of set piece opportunities in the last 10 minutes. In the 82nd minute, an Amoni Thomas foul on the left flank gave the Cardinals an opportunity to put a cross into the area. Midfielder Jack Lewis would loop it into the box, where it would only find the head of Wake’s Jose Perez at the near post, but Perez couldn’t head it away cleanly. Jonah Mednard was rooted to the spot and could only watch as it looped towards the far post. Fortunately for the Deacs, it found its way wide of the goal. In the 87th minute, the Cardinals almost stole all three points again, this time by way of a corner kick. The ball came in from Ashton Flowers and went behind the penalty spot, where defenders Jack Boring and Olayinka Ogunleye both went up to challenge for it. The ball was nodded down by Ogunleye into the feet of Quinton Wilson on the left side of the six yard box, but Wilson could not claim his brace, lashing a half volley over the crossbar. In the end, the points would be shared, as the final buzzer sounded without another goal from either side.
This was a result that the Deacs really could not afford as they are still looking to build a tournament resume out of their final regular season games and the ACC Tournament, but it is worth mentioning that this was their best conference performance of the season to this point, and, in my view, they were a bit unfortunate not to win this game. As for the player of the match in this one, there were a couple of good performances to point to. Jack Lewis was excellent in midfield for the Cardinals, Chase Vazquez was dangerous any time he touched the ball in Wake’s half, with his thunderbolt off the crossbar resulting in Louisville’s lone goal, Harvey Sarajian built on his performance in Berkeley with another good showing up front against the Cardinals that deserved a goal or assist, but I believe that the best player on the field in this game was freshman winger Alfred Debah. Debah only played 35 minutes for the Deacs on Friday, but he seemed to be everywhere, showing great talent with the ball as well as a great work rate and some defensive mettle when the Deacs were against the ball. His first half goal was an absolute wondergoal, and he may have been deserving of player of the match on that effort alone. He may be a player that coach Bobby Muuss will turn to as the Deacs continue to push for a spot in the tournament.
The Deacs return to action on Tuesday, 10/21 to take on the Wofford Terriers at Spry. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM EDT, and the game will be broadcast on ACCNX/ESPN+.
