ATLANTA, -- Georgia State and Lipscomb played to a 3-3 tie at the GSU Soccer Complex.
The Panthers wasted no time setting the tone as they opened the scoring in the 8th minute. Bryan Akongo showcased his speed and agility, breezing past the Bisons' defenders on the side, and delivered a precision cross. Simon Carlson made no mistake, confidently slotting the ball past the keeper to give the Panthers an early 1-0 lead.
Despite early momentum from the Panthers, Georgia State faced a resilient Lipscomb side that managed to level the score just 10 minutes before the half.
At halftime, the score stood at one to one, with Lipscomb holding a narrow advantage in shots, leading eight to five. The corner kicks were also in favor of Lipscomb, with a count of three to two.
Lipscomb started the second half with a strong showing, scoring the first two goals of the half. The first goal came in the 67th minute, followed by the second just two minutes later in the 69th minute, which appeared to be a fatal blow to the Panthers.
Despite the challenges, GSU never gave up and managed to narrow the gap. In the 73rd minute, they were awarded a penalty kick for a handball drawn by Justin McLean, who then stepped up to take the penalty and calmly slotted it home. The goal brought the score to 3-2.
In the 81st minute, Mario Arrocha leveled the game with a magnificent volleyed goal, courtesy of a precise pass from Oliver Hlynsson. This remarkable goal marked Mario's first of the season and proved to be the final goal of the match, resulting in a thrilling draw.
As the final whistle blew, the shot count stood deadlocked at 16 to 16, with Lipscomb registering eight shots on target, closely followed by Georgia State with six on target. In the battle of corner kicks, Georgia State held a slight edge, finishing with a six-to-five lead. The even statistics reflected the intensity of the match, which ultimately ended in a hard-fought draw.
The draw moved Georgia St.'s record to 3-2-4 overall.
The Panthers will return to the pitch on Saturday, September 30th, at 2:00 pm, as they take on the #2 ranked West Virginia at home at the Georgia State Soccer Complex.
For all things Georgia State soccer, follow the team on social (@gsumenssoccer) as the Panthers continue the 2023 season.
