Bay Area Derby: Cal Men’s Soccer 2, Stanford 4

Golden Bears became only the 4th team this year, the 2nd to do it multiple times, to score a goal against Stanford today. Unfortunately, Stanford scored 4 goals against two Cal keepers to take the Cal home leg of the annual Bay Area Derby.

Bears will next travel up to Seattle to face the Washington Huskies on Thursday and then Oregon State on Sunday to finish the first half of Pac-12 play.

ROLL ON YOU BEARS!

After back-to-back-to-back College Cup (NCAA Soccer national championship) crowns, Stanford is more vulnerable in 2018. This may be the perfect time for the Golden Bears to get their first win over the Cardinal since 2013; the evil side has gone 0-8-1 since the Bears’ last victory.

With the graduation of Foster Langsdorf (a rather Stanford sounding name), Stanford is having more offensive problems in 2018. They have failed to score in 3 matches - two turned out to be scoreless draws. Senior Amir Bashti is their leading scorer with 5 goals.

Defense has continued to be quite strong for Stanford, however. After conceding 0 goals in their postseason run last year (although they had to use PK to beat Pacific in their first postseason match last year...coincidentally, Pacific is the only team to beat them this year as well), Stanford had 7 shutouts in their first 9 matches. Redshirt freshman Andrew Thomas is the beneficiary of the great defense in front of him; he has taken over between the pipes after the graduation of Nico Corti.

For the Golden Bears, senior Shinya Kadono is the current Pac-12 leading scorer with 10 goals on the year, in 10 matches. While he was not challenged in his last clean sheet, Drake Callender has shown the ability to make some phenomenal saves, if needed. Playing in front of Callender as a part of a young backline is freshman JJ Foe Nuphaus, who is a part of the USA U-19 team.

On the season, Bears have scored 17 goals in 10 matches to Stanford’s 13 goals in 9 matches. Defensively, Stanford has allowed 2 goals while the Bears have allowed 12 goals.

Expect a low scoring match in this one. If Kadono can find that magic again in his one or two decent opportunities in this match, the Golden Bears may just get that much coveted streak ender this afternoon.

Cal Men’s Soccer (5-3-2, 1-1-0 in Pac-12) vs. No.18 Stanford Cardinal (5-1-3, 2-0-0 in Pac-12)

Where: Edwards Stadium (Berkeley, CA)

When: 3 PM PT

TV: Pac-12 Networks

GO BEARS!