WASHINGTON - The American University men's soccer team played a scoreless draw against Rutgers on Thursday to start its 2026 campaign. The Eagles generated some dangerous attacking moments and even found the back of the net in the second half, but the goal was disallowed by VAR after a Rutgers challenge for a foul. Sophomore keeper
Evan Tubbs made three saves late in the match to help his team to a clean sheet.
Notable
- AU was outshot 13 to five, and had five corners to Rutgers' seven.
- Chris Sullivan led AU's attacking effort with two shots on goal, including one that required a diving stop from Rafael Ponce De Leon of Rutgers.
- Henrick Boahen and Rohan Chivikula both made their collegiate debuts today, coming off the bench in both the first half.
- Tubbs' three saves came in his third career start, contributing to his second career clean sheet.
How it Happened
- It was a quiet first half for both teams, with just two shots taken by each. AU had the best of the chance creation, generating four corner kicks.
- Sullivan had the most dangerous scoring opportunity of the half in the eighth minute. He chased down a quality ball from Colin O'Brien inside the box on the left side but had a narrow angle on goal and couldn't get his shot up and over the charging keeper Ponce De Leon.
- The match opened up in the second half, with AU threatening to score first. In the 56th minute, Rutgers played the ball back to Ponce De Leon in the box, and just as the visiting keeper reared back to kick the ball deep, Sebastian Garces sprinted into the box and blocked the pass. The ball fell to Reyes Parra with Ponce De Leon out of goal, but Devon Stopek saved Parra's shot off the goal line.
- In the 69th minute, Chris Sullivan found space at the top of the box and fired a well-struck shot on goal, but Ponce De Leon made a diving save at the low right corner.
- Less than a minute later, Moad Ezzahir found the back of the net for AU, but the goal was called off.
- The sequence started when Colin O'Brien charged through the attacking third and into the box, and Ponce De Leon pounced off his line and dove at O'Brien's feet to break up the initial chance. With the ball now loose and the goal open, Ezzahir scooped up the easy pickings lofted the ball into the net.
- In the aftermath, Rutgers challenged that O'Brien fouled Ponce De Leon in the box when the two collided, as his foot made contact with the keeper's head. After VAR, the officials confirmed the foul and disallowed the goal.
- The visitors ended the match on the front foot, forcing AU to defend more the rest of the way. Amer Lukovic put a header on goal in the 74th minute, and then found space in the box in the 86th minute. He made a quality run and got his right foot to a feed from Simon Gorczowski, forcing a quick-reaction stop from Tubbs for his best save of the day.
- Andrew Kitch was open for a header inside the box in the 88th minute, but put it up and over the crossbar. That stood as the final chance of the match for either team.
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