Wake Forest University
11-2-1, 3-0-1
University of Louisville
3-8-1, 2-2-0
Omar Hernandez’s Overtime Heroics Propel Deacs to Win
3/27/2021 10:08:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The sophomore’s brace, on a free kick and penalty shot, secured Bobby Muuss’ 100th victory at Wake Forest
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- A converted penalty kick just over two minutes into overtime provided the difference between Wake Forest and Louisville, as the Deacs came out in a 2-1 decision on Saturday night at Spry Stadium.
Wake Forest (11-2-1, 3-0-1 ACC) got a spark from Omar Hernandez's pair of goals, a curling free kick into the top right corner in the 55th minute and a penalty kick slotted into the left side of the net early in overtime. The Dalton, Ga., native doubled his season total on the scoresheet, with the brace representing his third and fourth goals of the season.
Louisville (3-8-1, 2-2-0 ACC) took an early lead with a 10th-minute effort from Aboubacar Camara, but struggled to retain possession in the second half after defender William Portman got sent off with a red card in the 63rd minute. The Deacs benefitted from the man advantage, outshooting the Cardinals 5-1 after going up a man.
With the outcome, head coach Bobby Muuss (128 games coached) becomes the fastest Division I men's soccer head coach to reach 100 victories at his current institution, surpassing Furman's Doug Alison who did so in 133 matches.
Since taking over as head coach prior to the start of the 2015 season, Muuss has led Wake Forest to 81-straight appearances in the top-25 of the United Soccer Coaches poll. Additionally, Wake Forest has remained in the top-10 for the last 61 polls.
How It Happened
- Louisville opened the game with its foot on the gas, drawing a pair of early corners before breaking through in the 10th minute with a goal from Camara, who put in a point-blank effort in front of goal.
- The Deacs earned their best chance of the first half in the 43rd minute, when a free kick from Hernandez found the head of Nico Benalcazar in the box. Detre Bell made a fingertip save to parry the shot wide and keep the Cardinals ahead.
- Cole McNally made his best save of the first half, securing a dangerous 45th-minute free kick from Pedro Fonseca.
- The first half ended with Louisville holding the 1-0 advantage.
- The Cardinals outshot the Deacs 8-7, with a 4-3 shot on goal advantage.
- Both keepers secured three saves in the first 45 minutes.
- Hosei Kijima got the offense started early for the Deacs in the second half with a long-range effort in the 47th minute. The screamer troubled Bell, who was forced to parry the shot over the bar.
- Omar Hernandez pulled the Deacs level in the 55th minute, with curling a 20-yard free kick over the wall into the top right corner to tie the game 1-1.
- The goal was the sophomore's third goal of the season, and second in as many weeks, as Hernandez scored Wake Forest's first goal in a 3-2 win over Notre Dame last Saturday.
- The Deacs were nearly gifted a goal in the 81st minute, when an errant pass back from Louisville's Haji Abdikadir sprinted by Bell, with the post saving a certain own goal at the final moment to keep the game level.
- Sebastian Scrivner fired a shot on frame in the 89th minute, a top-flight effort off a free kick that did not find the back of the net.
- The game went into overtime tied 1-1.
- The Deacs outshot the Cardinals 9-1 in the second half, with a 5-1 shots on goal advantage.
- Just two minutes into overtime, Omar Hernandez drew a penalty after being tripped in the box. He stepped up to the spot and sent the keeper the wrong way, slotting the penalty kick into the left side of the goal to secure the Golden Goal victory.
Demon Deacon Details of Note
- William Valtos III made his spring debut as a substitute the first half. The sophomore made three appearances in the fall portion of the 2020-21 season.
- Muuss becomes the second head coach in program history to lead Wake Forest to 100 wins, joining Jay Vidovich, who he was an assistant coach for from 2001-06.
- During Wake Forest's current 81-week run in the United Soccer Coaches poll, only North Carolina (70) has been ranked 70 or more times.
- Since the start of the 2015 season, Wake Forest has been ranked No. 1 nationally 23 times. Maryland has been slotted as the No. 1 team in the country the second-most times over the last six seasons, doing so on 11 different occurrences.
Muuss' Musings
"Seven years ago I never thought I would be the head coach at Wake Forest. Obviously, Coach Vidovich laid that groundwork. Way back in the day, Ron Wellman, Barbara Walker and Bill Oakes gave me an opportunity. Lindsey Babcock and especially John Currie, just with this year, to give us this opportunity to compete, his leadership has been incredible.
So I'm blessed. Steve Armas and Dane Brenner are the best in the business by my left and right side. I've had so many others, with John Lagos, Mick Giordano, Matt Poplawski. We've been extremely blessed in the roles that we have right now. It was special to do it here, with fans, in overtime, against a little bit of a rival, it felt great."
Up Next
Wake Forest hits the road for the final two matches of the regular season, first taking on current No. 1 Clemson next Friday night.
The Demon Deacons and Tigers split their previous two meetings this season with both winning on home soil.
Team Stats
Aboubacar Camara (4)
Assisted By: Elijah Amo
GOAL by LOU Camara, Aboubacar Assist by Amo, Elijah.
09:23
Omar Hernandez (3)
GOAL by WFU Hernandez, Omar.
54:34
Omar Hernandez (3)
WFU Omar Hernandez PENALTY KICK GOAL.
92:10
