By Caleb Nguyen and Kevin Corella, Sept. 6, 2022
Cal Poly Pomona hosted the Colorado School of Mines for their first doubleheader of the fall season, drawing the match 2-2. The Broncos came into the match with a 2-0 record with the visiting Orediggers possessing an overall record of 1-1.
Despite eight shots on goal, the Broncos could not break the deadlock at the game’s end. Head coach Matt O’Sullivan assessed his feelings on a winnable match. “We missed a lot of glorious chances,” said O’Sullivan. “They didn’t have great chances outside of the goals, but we had about four that should’ve been put behind the net.”
O’Sullivan continued, “We just need to move on quickly and understand each game is different. We have a big game on Saturday against a very good team, and we must bounce back and be ready.”
The Broncos maintained control of the first half through the right side of the field. Bronco midfielder Mads Frederiksen controlled the game, making great plays and creating a lot of space to move the ball up and down that end of the pitch.
The Broncos’ strong first half was finally rewarded, punctuated by a 40th-minute goal by midfielder Mike Moser. Moser patrolled the middle of the 18-yard box and slotted a shot into the net after a cross from Frederiksen. This would give the Broncos a 1-0 halftime lead.
The second half began with a promising goal opportunity from CPP striker Paul Roger Henschke, but he was stopped by the Mines keeper Brian Doherty in a great one-on-one save.
The Orediggers were able to make use of that momentum in the 53rd minute, being awarded a penalty kick that was subsequently converted by Tristan Semelsberger to tie the game at 1-1.
With this momentum shift, the Broncos attempted to regain some composure. However, Bronco defender Pele Martinez soon got the ball stuck between his feet. In a last-ditch effort to save possession, Martinez grabbed hold of the opponent. This resulted in a red card and left the Broncos with ten men on the field in their attempt seek victory.
Late in the match, the Broncos earned a throw-in on the Oredigger side of the field. In the 87th minute, CPP midfielder Mikey Sedano headed home the go-ahead goal off a throw-in made by midfielder Melvyn Perez Cortez to take the lead.
Sedano mentioned the preparation necessary for those late game heroics, hustling with his team deep into the match to seize the moment.
“We are very detailed in practice, with ten minutes left we just got everyone within the box and capitalized on our chance,” said Sedano.
With ten seconds left, the Orediggers were down one goal, providing hard pressure on the Broncos’ defensive line. Suddenly, after multiple back and forth attacks between teams, the ball landed perfectly onto midfielder Semelsberger’s feet, who had already scored this game.
Semelsberger saw the opportunity and placed a well-controlled, strong shot to the side netting of the goal from nearly 40 yards out, which tied up the game 2-2 with three seconds remaining. Conceding so late into the match left the Broncos with no chance of coming back and winning, ultimately settling for the draw and sharing the spoils.
In those last ten seconds, CPP midfielder Christian Miramontes was tasked to cover Semelsberger’s shot.
“We thought the clock was going to run out sooner, and he just put a rocket into the bottom corner,” Miramontes said about the last-second equalizer.
Despite the tie, the schedule rolls on for men’s soccer. The Broncos’ next game is this Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 7PM, when they will take on Azusa Pacific University at Kellogg Stadium.
Feature Image Courtesy of CPP Athletics.