Oregon scores late to down Arizona soccer in Eugene

Jordan Wormdahl scored in the 85th minute and Oregon outlasted Arizona soccer 1-0 in a defensive battle on Sunday in Eugene.

Wormdahl ran onto a through ball from Lexi Romero and slotted it past UA goalkeeper Hope Hisey. The play was started by Ally Cook, who won the ball near midfield after Ava McCray whiffed trying to clear it.

“We were trying to exploit the fact they were playing a three-back and get around behind them and Ally and Lexi did a great job just to get on the ball,” Wormdahl said on the Pac-12 Network. “And it could have been anyone’s ball. We’re just trying to get forward and get the ball in the back of the net.”

For a while there, it looked like neither team was going to find paydirt. Scoring chances were at a premium all game as both teams applied pressure with an aggressive high press. The Wildcats outshot the Ducks 9-5 but only two were on frame.

Arizona’s best chances came from senior Hannah Clifford, who fired two shots from the top of the box that bounced wide of the post.

The Ducks only had one corner kick compared to Arizona’s three (which was a season low), but used a long ball, free kick and cross to create unsuccessful scoring chances in the box before Wormdahl finally broke through in the final minutes.

Had the Wildcats won, it would have been their first-ever road sweep of the Oregon schools. They fall to 5-3 overall and 1-3 in the Pac-12. The Ducks improve to 3-3-2 and 2-2-1, respectively.

Up next

Arizona will host No. 24 ASU in a non-conference game on Friday at 7 p.m. PT, the first of two meetings between the in-state rivals, a unique quirk in the schedule this season. They will meet again in Tempe on April 16.

The Sun Devils beat Oregon State 1-0 in overtime on Sunday to improve to 6-0-2 on the season, their best start in years.

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