Georgetown men’s soccer (1-2-2, BIG EAST) battled the No. 14 Duke Blue Devils (2-0-2, ACC) to a 2-2 draw after letting a two-goal lead slip away. The Hoyas seemed destined to make a statement win at Shaw Field, holding a 2-0 advantage with just six minutes remaining. In a late turn of events, Duke stunned the home crowd with two goals in the 85th minute, equalizing the game in a shocking 13-second span.
The opening half was a physical one, with numerous fouls and injury stoppages slowing the rhythm. Georgetown created a few promising chances but failed to capitalize upon them. Hoya junior midfielder Matthew van Horn tested the keeper early, and sophomore striker Mitchell Baker squandered a one-on-one opportunity with an attempted chip shot over the goalkeeper that went wide. Despite the lack of goals, Georgetown’s first half performance showed composure and creativity, setting the stage for what looked to be a strong result.
The second half brought both intensity and controversy. In the 57th minute, Hoya fans erupted after a Duke defender appeared to foul junior midfielder Mateo Ponce Ocampo in the box, but the referee denied a penalty after a VAR review. Tempers flared further when senior midfielder Zach Zengue received a yellow card for a foul away from the ball at the 65th minute. Georgetown’s frustrations, however, quickly turned to celebration in the 67th minute. Senior Midfielder Julian Barrios Cristales crossed the ball to van Horn whose shot was blocked. However, Zengue caught the rebound, slotting it into the bottom right corner.
Georgetown’s momentum continued in the 78th minute, with Zengue delivering a set-piece cross that Baker headed home, doubling the lead. At 2-0, the Hoyas seemed firmly in control. But in the 85th minute, Duke’s forward Alessandro Arlotti cut the deficit with a precise finish. Just 13 seconds of game time later, Georgetown lost possession, and Duke midfielder Leonardo D’Ambrosio completed the stunning comeback with the equalizer goal. What looked like a signature Georgetown win had unraveled in seconds.
Despite further chances created by both sides, the final score was 2 -2. In a post-game interview Zengue, who contributed a goal and assist, told the Voice “we need to focus on the end of the game…to win a national championship, we have to be mature…and we can’t slip up.” Nonetheless, Zengue is still optimistic, saying “I’m really proud of how the team’s growing over the season…I know the results aren’t really showing that, but we’ve been improving every game.”
Overall, Georgetown played well. The players created fantastic plays and solid chances. The players, especially those up front, need to finish their chances better, which was a struggle in the first half. The defense needs to remain cohesive for all 90 minutes. To ensure victory, as Zengue said, the players need to maintain their focus. The Hoyas have a chance to put it all together in their next game against James Madison (0-3, Sun Belt Conference), which will be at home at 7 p.m. EST on September 9.
