WASHINGTON – For the second match in a row,
Nicholas Beil and
Yuta Phoenix scored goals in the final 10 minutes to earn a result for the American University men's soccer team. Beil gave the Eagles the lead in the 85th minute, and after a Holy Cross penalty kick tied the game, Phoenix scored with two minutes remaining to lift his team to a 2-1 victory. The win moves AU to 5-1-2 in Patriot League play, keeping the Eagles in second place with one match remaining in the regular season.
Notable
- It's been an incredible stretch of timely scoring for the Eagles, as today marks the fourth straight match in which they've scored at least one goal in the final 10 minutes to earn a win or draw.
- Remarkably, Beil now leads the team in goals with three after missing the season's first seven games due to injury. He returned to play on Sept. 19.
- Chris Sullivan picked up the assist on Beil's goal, his second of the year.
- Finn O'Brien delivered the primary assist on Phoenix's goal for his team-leading fourth of the season. He found Phoenix on a cross from the right side to nearly mirror the same sequence that saw him assist the freshman last week against Lafayette.
- Snowdon recorded the secondary assist, his second of the season.
- Evan Tubbs made two saves in the match to bring his total to 53 on the year, third in the PL.
- AU clinches a top-four seed in the conference tournament with the win. The Eagles can clinch a top two seed and a bye to the semifinal round if they beat Navy next Tuesday, Nov. 7, or if Lehigh falls to Colgate tonight, Oct. 30.
How it Happened
- Holy Cross was on the front foot in the first half, outshooting AU eight to one and generating three corner kicks.
- The Crusaders' best chance of the half came late, when Archie Hatcher and Gabe Raphael hit the woodwork on back-to-back shots in the 42nd minute.
- Hatcher went for goal on a free kick from just outside the box, squaring it off the right post. The rebound trickled to Raphael, who hit his shot off the top of the crossbar and out of play.
- The Eagles played more dangerously in the second half, equaling Holy Cross's six shots and ending the day with excellent play in the attacking third.
- Beil's goal came off a turnover at midfield forced by a blocked pass from Finn O'Brien. After the deflection, the ball rolled to Chris Sullivan and the team captain touched the ball forward for Beil going toward goal, and the sophomore striker buried his shot to the bottom left corner.
- The visitors immediately got the ball in AU's half in response, and a penalty was drawn by Jack Fielder just 26 seconds after they conceded. Hatcher took the PK and scored to tie the match 1-1.
- Just over three minutes later, American went back in front. Oliver Snowdon started the buildup at midfield, slicing a quality ball up the right flank to O'Brien. The sophomore winger crossed the ball into the box for Phoenix in-stride, who took the feed off one bounce and guided the ball in.
- The Eagles held on in the final two minutes to secure the win.
Up Next
- The Eagles close out the regular season at Navy on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Keep Up With Us
- For the latest on American University Men's Soccer, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on X (@AU_MSoccer) and Instagram (@au.msoccer).
