The University of Connecticut men’s soccer team traveled to Queens, N.Y., on Tuesday, Oct. 27, to take on St. John’s in a Big East matchup. Despite holding a two-goal lead late in the second half, the Huskies fell 3-2 as the Red Storm scored three times in the final 10 minutes to complete a dramatic comeback.
The Huskies entered the contest looking to extend its two-game winning streak after recording consecutive shutout victories.
The Huskies opened the matchup with formidable offensive power, generating a scoring opportunity in the second minute when junior defender Abel Ador put a shot toward the bottom center of the net. However, St. John’s sophomore goalkeeper Nico Bezama made the save to keep the game scoreless.
The Red Storm responded by putting pressure on the Huskies’ defense, earning corner kicks in the fifth and eighth minutes. St. John’s continued to look for an opening, but sophomore midfielder Aryeh Miller’s attempt was blocked before graduate student defender Ivar Nå Aga sent a shot wide of the net.
St. John’s maintained its attacking pressure throughout the opening 20 minutes but was unable to find the back of the net. Despite earning multiple corner kicks and creating several scoring opportunities, the Red Storm struggled to capitalize as UConn’s defense held firm.
The Huskies eventually found their breakthrough in the 26th minute. Following a UConn corner kick, junior forward Alfonso Arredondo assisted senior midfielder Max Gummesson, who sent a shot into the top center of the net to give UConn a 1-0 advantage.
The goal gave the Huskies momentum as they continued to create scoring opportunities and put pressure on the Red Storm’s defense. Sophomore midfielder Preston Alessio tested Bezama in the 29th minute with a shot toward the bottom right corner, but the St. John’s goalkeeper recorded another save. Senior forward Elijah Langford followed with an attempt on goal that was blocked as UConn continued to generate pressure.
Gummesson nearly added to the Huskies’ advantage in the 31st minute, putting another shot on target. However, Bezama made the save to keep St. John’s within one goal.
As the half progressed, both teams battled for possession, with fouls and throw-ins interrupting the flow of play. UConn continued to defend its lead while looking for opportunities to extend its advantage while St. John’s struggled to turn its attacking pressure into a goal. The Red Storm threatened again late in the half but the Huskies defense blocked a shot in the 44th minute to preserve its lead. UConn carried its 1-0 advantage into halftime after capitalizing on its scoring opportunity and limiting St. John’s ability to finish its chances.
St. John’s came out of halftime with increased intensity, applying more pressure on UConn’s defense and creating additional scoring opportunities. The Huskies continued to threaten offensively, with junior midfielder Aidan Sheppela forcing a save from Bezama in the 48th minute. However, the Red Storm gradually built momentum through their attacking play, earning multiple corner kicks and testing UConn’s defense.
UConn had an opportunity to extend its lead in the 66th minute when senior forward Rashid Nacif Joffre stepped up for a penalty kick. However, Bezama saved the attempt, keeping the Huskies’ advantage at one goal. Nacif Joffre followed with another shot moments later but Bezama made another save as St. John’s continued to hold its ground.
The Huskies eventually doubled their lead in the 81st minute when Arredondo scored off an assist from Langford, putting UConn ahead 2-0 with less than 10 minutes remaining.
However, the Red Storm responded almost immediately. Less than two minutes after Arredondo’s goal, sophomore defender Cayden Walton found the back of the net in the 82nd minute to cut UConn’s lead to 2-1.
St. John’s continued to press forward as the clock wound down and its persistence paid off in the 88th minute. Walton and freshman midfielder Ander Gonzalez assisted junior forward Henrik Ropstad, who scored the equalizer to bring the match level at 2-2.
The Red Storm completed the comeback in the final minute of regulation when junior forward Luca Fargnoli scored off an assist from Ropstad in the 90th minute, giving St. John’s a 3-2 lead. The late goal capped a turnaround as UConn surrendered its two-goal advantage in the closing minutes.
The Huskies will look to bounce back and regain their complete-game dominance in Big East play when they travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, to face Xavier Saturday.