Men's Soccer Blanks South Carolina on the Road, 2-0

ORLANDO – The UCF men’s soccer team earned a much-needed 2-0 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks with a convincing performance in Columbia. The win moves the Knights to 3-5-1 in the fall slate and 1-2-0 in the Sun Belt.

“We’ve had a tough stretch of games, but this win has given everyone high hopes. We’re ready to keep on going and keep the winning ways alive,” said freshman defender Mateus Dejesus.

Dejesus opened the scoresheet for the Knights with a powerful header in the 62nd minute, his first career goal, followed by a Malick Thiaw backpost finish to cap off the victory in the 80th minute and give him his second goal of the season.

Senior goalkeeper Juanvi Muñoz once again played a crucial role in the win, matching his season high of five saves and recording his third shutout of the season, and tenth of his career. 

The Valencia, Spain native moved past Antti Laitinen into sole possession of ninth place on UCF’s all-time shutout list and tied Shawn Doyle for seventh on the program’s all-time goals-against average chart with a 1.26 mark.

Senior midfielder Clarence Awoudor fueled the Knights’ attack, registering assists on both goals in the 2–0 win. 

The Saint-Lo, France native has now recorded multiple assists in all three of UCF’s victories this fall, marking the third time this season he’s tallied a pair in a match. Awoudor leads the Sun Belt in total assists (7) and ranks tied for second nationally, continuing to be a key playmaker for the Black and Gold.

The winning effort marked the Knights' third consecutive win over South Carolina in the Sun Belt regular season since joining the conference in 2023. 

“Coach has done an amazing job of keeping everyone together and bringing intensity to the training. The preparation that went into it was amazing, and we were able to execute,” Dejesus added. “We have to celebrate right now, but as soon as we get back, recover our bodies, and start focusing on the next game.”

UP NEXT

The Knights will look to carry the winning momentum into next Friday, Oct. 10, when UCF will host No. 6 Georgia Southern in Orlando. 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.