It was late heartbreak for the Wildcats on Friday, as an 87th minute penalty from Mitar Mitrovic gave No. 13 Michigan a 2-1 come-from-behind victory.
The win leaves Northwestern in a tie for last place
in the Big Ten standings. The ’Cats sit on only five points after seven games. Meanwhile, Michigan’s victory propels it to third in the conference, and the Wolverines can clinch a 2025 tournament bid with a win in their next match.
The first half was a very cagey affair, with few clear-cut chances for either side. Northwestern was more than comfortable sitting back and letting the Wolverines dominate possession.
Michigan’s best chance came just six minutes in, when Raymundo Mendez played a quick 1-2 with Michael Ramirez on the left side of the 18-yard box. Rafael Ponce de León was there to make the 1-on-1 save, and nothing would come from the ensuing corner.
Michigan found success playing balls to the wide areas, specifically the right hand side. This was largely because midfielders Jason Gajadhar and Baraka Tarleton, who was filling in at centre back in the absence of Nigel Prince, were routinely cutting out passes in the middle of the pitch.
It would take twenty two minutes for Northwestern to have anything resembling a real chance at goal. Joe Suchecki was able to win back possession on the edge of NU’s penalty area and spring Martinez Santamaria. Santamaria would find Peter Riesz, who tried to catch the keeper backpedaling with a shot from distance but had his effort blocked.
With 14 minutes to go in the first half, the ’Cats would find an unlikely breakthrough. A throw in NU’s own half would be knocked up toward Riesz, who would hold off his man long enough for freshman Aaron O’Reilly to make a streaking run up the right wing. Riesz would find O’Reilly, leaving him 1-on-1 with Michigan’s keeper. The freshman would make no mistake, rifling his effort into the far corner of the net to give NU the lead completely against the run of play.
NU would threaten a few more times before the break. Gajadhar would win a free kick in a promising area only four minutes after the ’Cats took the lead, but no one could get on the end of the cross and it would turn into a Michigan goal kick. The half would end with Northwestern leading 1-0 despite Michigan dominating possession and spending much more time in and around Northwestern’s 18 yard box.
Northwestern entered the second half looking to extend its lead. With seven minutes gone in the second frame, a ball was fired towards Riesz inside the penalty area. The junior forward was able to hold off the defender, turn and make space for a shot that was heading for the bottom right corner but was instead met by the outstretched fingers of Michigan keeper Isaiah Goldson.
Northwestern would keep the pressure up. Suchecki would win the ball high up the pitch and play it to Doug Hainer. Hainer drove into the penalty area before playing it back to Suchecki, who cut inside but sent his shot attempt trickling into the arms of Goldson.
Michigan would have the next chance in a frenetic first ten minutes. The Wolverines won the ball just outside their own 18-yard box and launched a counter down the lefthand side. Ramirez sent a cross in to Grayson Elmquist, who controlled well and got off a volley that Ponce de León just barely tipped over the crossbar.
After an end-to-end twenty minutes of soccer, defender Nolan Miller would receive the ball on the half turn and play it to Duilio Herrera. Herrera would clip a ball over the top of the NU defensive line for Elmquist to chase. Ponce de León would come off his line, but Elmquist would beat him to the ball, rounding the Wildcat keeper and rolling the ball into an empty net to bring Michigan back on level terms.
The Wildcats had a great chance to retake the lead with just under 20 minutes left to play in Ann Arbor. Suchecki clipped a ball over the top for Joao Paulo Ramos to run onto. Ramos would drive into the penalty area, spin away from his defender, but saw his shot saved by Goldson.
With Michigan still looking for its first lead of the game, Herrera would receive the ball on the left wing. His cross found the head of defender Will Baker, but Ponce de León reacted well to shoot out his left foot and keep the ball out of the net.
Michigan continued to threaten, with a corner in the 79th minute finding the head of substitute Kyle Pierson who saw his effort cleared off the line by Bryant Mayer.
O’Reilly had a prime opportunity to net his second of the game and give Northwestern a late lead when Omar Jallow’s cross was redirected towards the freshman, but Goldson was there to deny O’Reilly with an incredible diving save.
With just over three minutes left to go a Michigan corner bounced around the box. In the chaos, Jallow attempted to block a potential shot from Dylan Davis, but brought down the Wolverine defender without winning the ball. After a lengthy review, the ref pointed to the spot. Graduate midfielder Mitrovic stepped up and slotted his penalty into the bottom right corner. NU would push for an equalizer, but couldn’t carve out any true chances.
The Wildcats will look to bounce back on Friday when they host Indiana.
