Owls Complete Second Half Comeback Against No. 13 Charlotte

Sunday, October 9

Boca Raton, Fla.

7 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

3-5-3, 2-1-2

Charlotte

7-1-2, 1-1-2

Charlotte

Fla. Atlantic

10/9/2022 11:05:00 PM | No. 22 Men's Soccer

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University men's soccer completed an epic second half comeback on Sunday night to draw 2-2 with No. 13 Charlotte.

The 49ers controlled the play for much of the first half and were rewarded with the opening goal in the 26th minute. They added a second just three minutes later to go into halftime ahead 2-0.

A newfound urgency was apparent for the Owls coming out of the intermission. Five shot attempts and three corner kicks in the first 15 minutes of the second half had the Charlotte defense under pressure.

The deficit would remain until the 81st minute when Nacho Alastuey played Fritz Kleiner down the right flank. The German sent a cross into the box where Blake Dean was waiting to hit it with his first touch. Dean picked out the low left corner past 49ers GK Thomas Wallis for his second goal of the season.

The Owls had a sign on life and four minutes later they would find the equalizer. Andreas Raisanen found space down the left side and launched a shot that Wallis originally saved. Raisanen persisted, however, tracking down the rebound and letting another attempt go towards goal. This time, the ball deflected in off a sliding 49ers defender to tie the match.

FAU finished the second half with nine shot attempts compared to six for Charlotte. For the match, goalkeeper Neil Strauber made four saves.

"The most important thing for us at this point in the year is points," noted head coach Joey Worthen. "Towards the end of the first half, we started to get some momentum. We hung in, we battled, we didn't give up. To get two goals back late… speaks to the character of this team and the quality and the fight that we have. I couldn't be more pleased."

The Owls now have eight points and a 2-1-2 record in the AAC – two points behind Memphis (3-1-1) at the top of the table. FAU and Memphis will meet on October 22, but prior to that Temple will visit Boca Raton on Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.