MORGANTOWN, W.Va – West Virginia (5-1-3, 1-0-2 Sun Belt) returned home to face No. 11 South Carolina (7-1-2, 1-0-2 Sun Belt) at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, and it ended in a draw, 1-1. The Mountaineers scored quickly to start the match, but could not hold on to the lead for the full 90 minutes. The Gamecocks had a second-half surge and found a late goal, and had another overturned to preserve the draw. Read more: WVU holds off late surge from South Carolina in 1-1 draw.
First Half
WVU opened the game with possession, and they controlled it for the first couple of minutes of the match. They worked it into the box, but did not get a shot attempt. WVU was close to scoring the opening goal of the match in the seventh minute, but they were offside. It was not reviewed.
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They opened the scoring with a goal in the 12th minute off the foot of Isaac Scheer. Aurelien Cormier and Jacob Redenfors assisted on the goal, as the Mountaineers struck quickly.
South Carolina’s first shot of the game was off the foot of Loic Sany Kong, but it was target. WVU was awarded a free kick after a foul on Isaiah Whittaker-Francis. He was given a yellow card for the foul, and the Mountaineers failed to retain possession following the kick.
The Gamecocks earned a corner kick in the 24th minute. WVU failed to clear the ball on its first attempt, and South Carolina’s shot from Isaiah Whittaker-Francis was off target.
South Carolina had some threatening passes after the 31st minute. The Mountaineers’ defenders blocked multiple pass attempts. The Gamecocks earned a free kick in the 35th minute, and nothing came of it. WVU played tough defense, with five fouls.
Final minutes of the first
South Carolina’s corner kick in the 38th minute went past the net untouched, and eventually ended up out of play. The Mountaineers got possession on the throw-in, but Sammie Walker was called for a foul.
After a threatening possession from the Mountaineers, South Carolina worked the ball up the pitch. Nacho Martinez was given a yellow card after a hard foul at midfield.
In the last minute of the half, Walker had a one-versus-two situation and could not finish after physical play. WVU took a 1-0 lead into the break.
Second Half
WVU started the second half getting called offside. Following the throw-in, Tyler Londono Zapato’s shot was off target. South Carolina’s Omar Robbana had a shot on goal, saved by Toby Mawer.
Kanta Ishii had a shot in the 63rd minute, and it was saved by Noah Scheidweiler. After a couple of fouls by South Carolina, WVU got a corner kick. Julen Recalde’s shot on goal from the corner, saved by Scheidweiler.
To start the 69th minute, Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez had a shot on goal. Mawer made a phenomenal diving save. The Gamecocks got back-to-back corner kicks, but no shots.
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In the 71st minute, South Carolina scored the equalizer. Velazquez-Lopez scored off an assist by Sany Kong. WVU had a chance in the 74th minute off the foot of Rcalde. It was just over the top of the goal.
South Carolina got a corner kick in the 81st minute; the header by Jamie Grayson was just high. The Gamecocks thought they scored in the 84th minute, but it got overturned on VAR.
The Mountaineers got a free kick just outside the box to start the 87th minute, but the shot was saved by Scheidweiler. The game ended in a draw, 1-1.
By the numbers
WVU had one shot in the first half, but they made it count. They also had two offsides and six fouls. South Carolina had two shots, but neither was on target. They had four fouls and were offside once. The Gamecocks had two corner kicks to the Mountaineers zero in the first half.
The Gamecocks ended with six shots and three on target. The Mountaineers had eight shots in the match, with four on target. The Mountaineers had 10 fouls to 12 for the Gamecocks. South Carolina finished with six corners to WVU’s two. The Mountaineers were called offside four times.
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