TULSA, Okla. – For the fifth time in program history, Tulsa has reached the final match of the American Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Championship. A pair of second-half goals sent the top-seeded Golden Hurricane past SMU 2-0 on Thursday on a pleasant evening at Hurricane Stadium.
 
No. 1 Tulsa and No. 2 UCF will collide for the conference’s automatic NCAA tournament bid for the second straight season in the 2021 American Men’s Soccer Championship match on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET)/12 p.m. (ET) on ESPNews. The Knights took the American title last season with a 1-0 shutout win against the Golden Hurricane in Orlando.
 
The 2021 American Men’s Soccer Championship marked the third time in tournament history that both semifinal matches ended in shutouts (2014 and 2017). UCF raced past fourth-seeded Memphis 6-0 in the first semifinal on Wednesday.
 
After a balanced first 15 minutes aside, SMU broke through with the first scoring chance of the match. Bailey Sparks settled the ball off a deflection at the top of the box and blasted a left-footed try just over the Tulsa bar.
 
Tom Protzek provided a great chance for Tulsa at 24:30, gathering a loose ball 20 yards out and driving toward the SMU goal. Mustang keeper Cole Johnson made a great sprawling stab with his feet at the top of the box to deny the Golden Hurricane chance from connecting.
 
After coming on as a sub late in the first half, Papa Ndoye unlocked behind the Tulsa back line and found himself on a breakaway toward the Golden Hurricane goal in the 39th minute. Til Zinnhardt trailed well and prevented Ndoye from getting off a clean shot toward frame.
 
SMU managed a corner kick inside of the final 30 seconds of the opening half, and Knut Ahlander sent a dangerous bender into the penalty area with a left foot. In the ensuing scrum a foul was called on the Mustangs to send the contest to the break at 0-0.
 
Tulsa broke through on the scoreboard in the 60th minute. Great ball movement for the Golden Hurricane freed Mitchell Cashion down the right flank, and Cashion centered Protzek at the near post for a no-doubt one-timer. Protzek’s goal gave Tulsa a 1-0 lead.
 
Connor Gramke nearly added a second Tulsa goal in the 63rd minute, as Protzek dropped a great through ball between traffic and met Gramke on the doorstep. A great save by Johnson and an SMU clearance averted the damage.
 
Tulsa kept pouring the pressure on, as Johan Juarez squared up a left-footed swing toward the SMU goal in the 80th minute. Johnson made a sensational leaping punch to send the ball over the bar to deny the scoring chance.
 
The Golden Hurricane put the result away in the 83rd minute. Austen Schweinert freed Zinnhardt down the left wing, and Zinnhardt chipped a centering cross to American Defensive Player of the Year Mariano Fazio. Fazio curled a looping header inside the right post to push Tulsa ahead 2-0 at 82:05.
 
2021 American Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Championship
November 10, 11 & 14, 2021
Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium 
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Semifinal 1 - Wednesday, November 10
No. 2 UCF 6, No. 3 Memphis 0

Semifinal 2 - Thursday, November 11
No. 1 Tulsa 2, No. 4 SMU 0

Final - Sunday, November 14
No. 2 UCF vs. No. 1 Tulsa – 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT (ESPNEWS)