Men's Soccer Draws with No. 22 South Florida, 1-1

TAMPA, Fla. – Competing in its fourth match of its first five against a team that has spent at least one week nationally-ranked this fall, the UCF men’s soccer team threw everything it had at the No. 22 South Florida Bulls.

Recording season highs in total shot attempts (19) and shots on goal (10), the Black and Gold held offensive pressure on their in-state rivals throughout the contest, but settled for a 1-1 draw at Corbett Stadium Thursday evening.

UCF’s 10 shots on target marked the team’s highest single-game total since it produced 10 in its 2024 Sun Belt Conference Tournament first-round matchup against James Madison Nov. 10, and the group’s 19 total tries marked its most since it notched 21 against Coastal Carolina in the 2024 regular-season finale Nov. 5.

The Knights were led throughout the evening by junior forward Lilian Ricol, who produced seven of UCF’s 19 attempts, a new career high and tied for the ninth-most in a single game by any Division I player entering play Thursday.

The match also marked the second straight between the Knights and Bulls to end in a draw, after the teams played to a scoreless tie in Orlando Sept. 15, 2024, and moved UCF to an all-time 19-8-3 record against in-state opponents under head coach Scott Calabrese.

UCF demonstrated admirable resolve following an early Bulls score, which came in just the fourth minute of action when Brandon Nyagurungo dribbled around a handful of Knights defenders to give South Florida an early 1-0 advantage.

The Bulls managed just seven more shot attempts the remainder of the contest, and only one more on goal throughout the evening, while the Black and Gold regained command of the affairs.

The culmination of a first half that saw 10 total UCF shot attempts, senior midfielder Clarence Awoudor pulled his team back even with South Florida, with assists from Ricol and senior forward Claudel N’goubou.

A play that saw touches by fellow senior Malick Thiaw, Ricol and N’goubou before it found its way to Awoudor, the Saint-Lo, France native cashed in on his opportunity at the top of the box, sending an accurate redirect shot past the Bulls’ netminder to tie the match at one goal apiece in the 26th minute.

The goal ensured Awoudor this third career two-match scoring streak after he scored on a penalty kick try against then-No. 23 UNC Greensboro Aug. 31, joining his efforts against UC Irvine and FIU Sept. 6-11, 2024, and against Stanford and Portland Oct. 9-14, 2022.

Awoudor also regained the team lead in points, moving to six with his two goals and two assists, just ahead of Ricol’s five after he was credited with an assist on Awoudor’s Thursday goal.

The Knights never relinquished control of the match following the halftime pause, outshooting the Bulls 9-5 spanning the final 45 minutes, but four more saves by the South Florida goalkeeper kept the match scoreless the remainder of the contest.

After seeing South Florida’s first shot attempt of the evening get by him, though, Knights senior goalkeeper Juanvi Muñoz redeemed himself in the game’s final minute, denying a last-second Bulls scoring chance to preserve his team’s draw.

The tie also marked UCF’s first of the season, and first unbeaten result against a ranked opponent since the Black and Gold drew with then-No. 23 Seattle Aug. 25, 2024.

UP NEXT
UCF will look to rejoin the win column in their final match prior to the commencement of Sun Belt Conference play, when the team welcomes the Jacksonville Dolphins to Orlando Thursday, Sept. 11. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. from the UCF Soccer Complex and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

TICKETS
UCF men’s soccer season and single-game tickets are on sale now. Please visit ucfknights.com/tickets for more information or call the ticket office at (407) 823-1000.

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.