ORLANDO, Florida – Lucca Dourado’s goal in the ninth minute stood up as the gamewinner as goalkeeper Yannik Oettl made five saves in a shutout effort to lead UCF to the American Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Championship title with a 1-0 win against Tulsa Saturday night at the UCF Soccer Complex.
The Knights (8-3-1), who were playing in their fourth consecutive championship final, won their first American title and earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
Dourado, who scored both of the Knights’ goals during the tournament, was chosen as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player, while Oettl, who made a combined 14 saves and allowed one goal in two games, was the easy choice as Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
The Knights, who leaned on their veteran goalkeeper for nine saves in Thursday’s semifinal against SMU, saw Oettl protect the early lead with key stops throughout the final as Tulsa had an 11-4 advantage in shots Saturday.
UCF scored the only goal it would need when Dorrado emerged with a loose ball following a UCF thrown-in and ripped a heavy shot to the left side from 22 yards out to put the Knights on the board in the ninth minute.
Tulsa’s best chance in the first half came in the 27th minute as Jonathan Cervantes chipped a long shot toward goal that was turned aside by Oettl, but the rebound came to a charging Til Zinnhardt, who put a pointblank shot into Oetll’s chest. A video review to see if the ball had crossed the end line was inconclusive, allowing the Knights to maintain the one-goal cushion.
Tulsa had another great chance early in the second half a UCF giveaway in its defensive end. Alvaro Torrijos won the loose ball and played it to Will Edwards, whose blast from 25 yards went off the crossbar in the 56th minute.
The Golden Hurricane (7-4-1) had five shots in the second half, but only one was on target. Mauricio Fazio put one off the crossbar in the 86th minute and had a chance to tie it in the 89th minute when he got around the defense for an open look from the left side, but tucked his shot outside the near post.
Dourado and Oettl led a contingent of six UCF players on the all-tournament team as defender Yanis Leerman, midfielders Mauricio Villalobos and Beto Ydrich joined forward Gino Vivi as honorees. Tulsa was represented by midfielders Chase Bronstedt and Jonathan Cervantes as well as Alvaro Torrijos. Temple defender Pierre Cayet and SMU midfielder Skage Simonsen were also chosen as All-Tournament selections.
UCF, which had won The American’s regular-season title, became only the second No. 1 seed to win the tournament title, joining SMU’s 2017 side. Tulsa suffered its first true loss in the eight-year history of The American Championship as the Golden Hurricane fell to 3-1-6 all-time in the tournament.
2020 American Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Championship
UCF Soccer Complex | Orlando, Florida
Semifinals – Thursday, April 15
No. 2 Tulsa 1, No. 3 Temple 1 (Tulsa advances on penalty kicks, 3-1)
No. 1 UCF 1, No. 4 SMU 1 (UCF advances on penalty kicks, 4-2)
Final – Saturday, April 17
UCF 1, Tulsa 0
Most Outstanding Offensive Player
Lucca Dourado, F, UCF
Most Outstanding Defensive Player
Yannik Oettl, GK, UCF
All-Tournament Team
Yannik Oettl, GK, UCF
Lucca Dourado, F, UCF
Yanis Leerman, D, UCF
Mauricio Villalobos, M, UCF
Gino Vivi, F, UCF
Beto Ydrich, M, UCF
Skage Simsonen, M, SMU
Pierre Cayet, D, Temple
Chase Bronstedt, M, Tulsa
Jonathan Cervantes, M, Tulsa
Alvaro Torrijos, F, Tulsa