Okawa's Brace Not Enough in Double-Overtime Loss At Winthrop

Radford, VA (11/01/2021) — Okawa's Brace Not Enough in Double-Overtime Loss At Winthrop - Radford University Athletics

RADFORD, Va. - Winthrop scored twice in the final four minutes of regulation and a game-winner in double-overtime to hand the Radford Men's Soccer team a 3-2 loss at Eagle Field on Saturday night. With the defeat, the Highlanders drop into fifth place.

Down 2-0 and running out of chances, Winthrop managed to pull within one after a penalty kick was awarded in the 86th minute. Bryant Jimenez-Pearce took it and hit the back of the net with a well-struck right-footed shot.

The Eagles then did the unthinkable, scoring with a mere 3 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and force overtime. Juan Benavides was shown his second yellow card just before that, leaving the Highlanders down a man for the extra periods.

A scoreless first overtime came and went, but the game was changed in a major way in the 101st minute when junior goalkeeper Joseba Incera was given a straight red card. Just a minute later, Winthrop drove a corner kick directly onto frame for the deciding goal.

Just 26 seconds into the beginning of the match, a Winthrop defender played an errant pass in his own third and Okawa was right there to intercept. The Tokyo, Japan native took a touch to his left and fired a curling strike into the top, left corner of the net to give the visitors the lead.

Then, in the 12th minute, the Highlanders earned a free kick just outside of the 18-yard box. Juan Benavides ran a fake and Okawa hit it perfectly just inside the near post to double the lead.

Defenders Max-Emilios Angelides, Solomon Clark, and Noah Haddad deserve a ton of credit for playing a great game even without senior leader Octavio Ocampo, who was suspended for the game after getting a red card in the last match.

KEY STATS

Junior goalkeeper Joseba Incera tallied three saves in the first half and five in the second, but will miss the next match due to his red card

Okawa now has six goals on the season

Freshman goalkeeper Joseph England made his collegiate debut in goal

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