Al Case, Ashland Daily Photo.
SOU's upset bid spoiled by No. 11 Corban in 107th minute
SOU Sports Information
ASHLAND – Corban forward Timur Zhividze ended a heated battle with Southern Oregon by lining a free kick into the back of the net for the golden goal in the 107th minute Friday afternoon, securing the 11th-ranked Warriors' 2-1 victory at Raider Stadium.
The Warriors (8-0 overall, 3-0 Cascade Conference) were awarded the free kick just a few yards on top of the box when the Raiders (4-2, 2-1) were called for a hand ball. Zhividze fired from straight on into the lower right corner of the goal untouched, stopping SOU from taking its first-ever point from a ranked opponent.
That was just the last firework in a series of them during the overtime period. When the first 10-minute buzzer sounded, the benches spilled and Corban's Quamie Dinnall was ejected with his second yellow card while Raider keeper
Jonathan Morales was issued a red after an argument that stemmed from their collision minutes earlier. And just two minutes before the golden goal, SOU's
Paul Matyas nearly ended the game with a centered shot that was rejected by the crossbar.
The Warriors – who have never been ranked higher in the national poll and are coming off an appearance in the 2015 NAIA tournament – scored first in the 33rd minute when Zhivideze made a pretty lead pass on a counter to Rolando Velazquez, who shot from left to right past the keeper.
But SOU caught Corban sleeping in the aftermath: Just 21 seconds after the Warriors took the lead,
Mitchell Pinney dribbled through their defense, down the middle of the field, and skipped a 17-yard shot past keeper Jordan Farr, who tipped the ball but not enough to keep it from sneaking into the lower left corner of the goal.
Corban had the slight advantage in shot, 15-11, but both teams put six on goal. The Warriors had six corner kicks to SOU's one.
Zhividze's goal and assist gave him CCC-leading totals of eight and six on the season.
The Warriors also had to fight to stave off a Raider upset last year, winning the teams' first-ever meeting 1-0 in Salem.
SOU will attempt to bounce back at 2 p.m. Saturday against Northwest Christian.