By: Jonathan Cañas (@jonathancanas_) – Spear editor | Head coach Simon Tobin watches his team on in a game against Stanford. (Photo by Christian Vieyra – Co-Executive Editor of The Spear)
San Jose State men’s soccer (1-3-2) fell 2-1 against Santa Clara (3-2-1) in the most physical and grueling matchup of the year.
A total of 12 cards were handed out in the Battle of the Alameda as SJSU racked up 10 cards to SCU’s two.
“This is the first time in my 38 years that I ended up with nine players on the field,” SJSU head coach Simon Tobin said. “I don’t think we deserved two red cards, that was baffling.”
Within the first 90 seconds Spartan sophomore defender Kaylob Walker was given a red card for a head-to-head collision with Broncos junior midfielder Pierce Dyal.
The incident took place in the middle of both teams respective benches and when the Spartans saw the red card in the air everyone threw their hands up in shock.
With 10 men, the Spartans went on the attack and the first-year Englishman Cameron Cook scored his first career goal off an assist from sophomore Gilberto Rivera in the fifth minute.
SJSU got five shots off within the first 20 minutes of the match but failed to get a shot attempt for the rest of the night.
Despite playing defense the last 25 minutes, SJSU was able to maintain possession for 48 % of the first half.
The Spartans’ backline collapsed in the 52nd minute when Broncos sophomore forward Jack Civitts bounced a goal off his knee to tie the game at 1-1.
Tobin was forced to take out junior midfielder Angel Iniguez in the 74th minute for freshman defender Diego Nieves to keep up with Santa Clara’s relentless attack on the offense.
Santa Clara finished the match with 21 shots and nine corner kicks. SJSU junior netminder Edgar Guerra tallied a season-high eight saves.
In the 74th minute Spartans senior defender Christian Powell was issued a red card for dissent, leaving them with nine players left to defend.
The game deciding goal came with two seconds left by Broncos sophomore midfielder Itamar Efrat and Broncos players circled around Buck Shaw Field to celebrate with their fans.
“It was absolutely sickening to play so well and battle so hard and concede the last goal with about two seconds left,” Tobin said. “That’s soccer, 90 minutes means 90 minutes.”
Following the match, Cook was assessed a red card for dissent as tensions were still boiling. Four of SJSU’s 10 cards were red.
The Spartans look to bounce back as they are set to host Saint Mary’s Friday at 6:30 p.m.
