LAREDO, Texas – Texas A&M International University men's soccer battled to a 3-3 draw against UT Dallas on Saturday afternoon at Dustdevil Field, overcoming a halftime deficit before a late equalizer from the Comets forced the teams to share the points.
The Dustdevils moved to 5-7-3 overall and 2-5-2 in Lone Star Conference play, while UT Dallas moved to 9-2-6 overall and 3-1-5 in conference action.
TAMIU wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, striking just 1:55 into the match. Kamal Zulfiyev found the back of the net for his third goal of the season, giving the Dustdevils an early 1-0 advantage.
UT Dallas responded in the ninth minute when Jordan Jones scored to even the match at 1-1. The Comets took the lead less than six minutes later, as Jose Diaz scored in the 15th minute to put the visitors ahead 2-1.
Despite falling behind, the Dustdevils continued to battle throughout the opening half. TAMIU generated five shots and earned two corner kicks, but UT Dallas maintained its one-goal advantage heading into halftime.
The Dustdevils came out determined to turn the match around in the second half.
In the 61st minute, Jorge Delgado delivered the equalizer, scoring his first goal of the season to bring TAMIU level at 2-2.
Just over four minutes later, Isaac Santos completed the comeback, finding the back of the net in the 66th minute off an assist from Juan Guerrero Obando. The goal marked Santos' first of the season and gave the Dustdevils a 3-2 advantage.
With TAMIU holding the lead entering the final 10 minutes, UT Dallas found a late response. Osi Iyamah scored in the 82nd minute off an assist from Gavin Vo, leveling the match at 3-3.
Neither side managed to find another goal before the final whistle, resulting in a draw.
UT Dallas finished with an 18-8 advantage in total shots and a 9-3 edge in shots on goal. The Dustdevils made the most of their offensive opportunities, converting all three of their shots on target into goals.
Goalkeeper Nicklas Berg-Eriksen provided a strong performance off the bench, entering in the 24th minute and recording six saves across 66 minutes of action. Benjamin Hafner started in goal for TAMIU before Berg-Eriksen took over.
Zulfiyev, Delgado and Santos each contributed a goal for the Dustdevils, while Guerrero Obando registered an assist.
The result capped a competitive Senior Day contest in which TAMIU showed resilience, overcoming a 2-1 halftime deficit and taking a second-half lead against the Comets before ultimately settling for a draw.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:
Nicklas Berg-Eriksen delivered a strong performance in goal during TAMIU's 3-3 draw against UT Dallas. Entering the match in the 24th minute, the senior goalkeeper recorded six saves across 66 minutes of action, including four second-half stops. His performance helped the Dustdevils secure a point in Lone Star Conference play on Senior Day.
Berg-Eriksen is a senior goalkeeper for Texas A&M International University and is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration. A native of Oslo, Norway, Nicklas is the son of Tommie Eriksen and Hege Berg and was born on December 24, 2003.
