SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The Portland men's soccer team earned a hard-fought 0-0 road draw against the San Francisco Dons Sunday afternoon in a West Coast Conference men's soccer match at Negoesco Stadium.
The Pilots (3-3-3, 1-2-3 WCC) had quality chances early in the match and late in double overtime, but the Dons (4-4-2, 3-2-2) were able to maintain the scoreless draw.
Portland had a good chance in the opening period off a corner kick in the third minute. Miguel Yuste bent a ball into the near post and Boba Fofanah redirected it toward goal with a header, but it glanced off the top of the crossbar.
The teams traded attacks throughout the rest of regulation and the first overtime before the Pilots took control in double overtime. Alejandro Pereira had a header off a corner kick pushed just wide midway through the period. Portland continued to apply the pressure and had a quality build-up leading to another Periera opportunity just before the final horn. He drilled a shot from the top of the box heading for the inside of the left post, but a USF defender redirected it away.
"I couldn't ask anything more from the guys today in terms of spirit, togetherness and cohesion," Portland head coach Nick Carlin-Voigt said. "We controlled the majority of the game and knew we would have to be brave defending our box and the guys were rock solid. We created more than enough chances to create multiple goals and that is simply encouraging. Our spirit and fight was tremendous. Goals change games and that's the final part for this group to keep striving to accomplish to fully dominate games, because at the end of the day that is the difference between a win and draw."
Jacopo Viola recorded six saves in goal for the Pilots in recording his second clean sheet of the season.
USF gained 12-9 advantage in shots overall, while the Pilots had a 10-4 edge in corner kicks.
The Pilots are scheduled to return home for the final two matches of the season at Merlo Field. Portland hosts Corban University in a non-league match on Wednesday at 5 p.m. and then concludes the regular season against WCC rival Saint Mary's on Saturday at 1 p.m.
