TAMPA, Fla. — In a back-and-forth affair that had both benches on their feet down the stretch, Florida Atlantic survived a furious South Florida comeback to escape with a 4-3 victory Wednesday night. Sebastian Zettl's goal in the 90th minute proved the difference in a match that saw the lead change hands repeatedly, with the Owls' superior finishing ultimately deciding a contest that easily could have gone either way.
The scoring opened early when João Belmudes put South Florida ahead in the 40th minute, but Oliver Moller-Jensen answered just three minutes later to level things at 1-1 before halftime. The first half featured plenty of attacking intent from both sides, though neither team could establish sustained pressure. Florida Atlantic's defense looked vulnerable at times, while South Florida's backline struggled to contain the Owls' movement in transition.
Felipe Santos restored Florida Atlantic's lead in the 60th minute, only to see Brandon Nyagurungo equalize almost immediately to make it 2-2. The match remained deadlocked until Belmudes struck again in the 71st minute, this time assisted by Yanis Lasri, giving the Bulls what appeared to be a crucial 3-2 advantage. South Florida's home crowd sensed a potential upset brewing as the clock ticked toward the final whistle.
But Florida Atlantic refused to fold. Aboubacar Traore pulled the Owls level at 3-3 in the 74th minute with a well-taken finish, setting up a frantic final stretch. The Owls controlled possession in the closing minutes, pressing South Florida's defense relentlessly. When Zettl found the back of the net in stoppage time, it capped a remarkable second-half performance that saw Florida Atlantic score twice after falling behind.
The Owls dominated the statistical battle, outshooting South Florida 15-11 overall and 5-4 on target. Florida Atlantic also won the corner-kick battle 9-7, creating more opportunities from set pieces. Both goalkeepers made one save apiece in a match where neither team's defense could consistently shut down the opposition's attacking threats.
Belmudes was a constant menace for South Florida, scoring twice and keeping the Bulls competitive throughout. Moller-Jensen and Santos provided crucial goals for the visitors, while Traore's equalizer kept Florida Atlantic's comeback hopes alive. Mathis Haugen drew a yellow card for unsporting conduct late in the match as tensions escalated.
The loss stings for South Florida, which had momentum after defeating Temple last Friday but couldn't hold on despite playing at home. The Bulls fall to 8-2-5 overall and will look to bounce back when they travel to Memphis on Sunday. Florida Atlantic, now 10-3-1, improved to 5-1-1 in conference play with the victory and will host Tulsa in their next outing.
This was the kind of match that defined tournament resumes—a road win against a quality opponent in a high-scoring affair that showcased both teams' offensive capabilities. For Florida Atlantic, it's the type of result that could matter come NCAA Tournament selection time. For South Florida, it's a missed opportunity to build on recent success, though the season remains far from decided.