SAN FRANCISCO - Stanford found a last minute winner to take home a 1-0 victory over San Francisco on Thursday. Stanford improves to 6-6-5 (2-4-3) while San Francisco moves to 2-11-1 (0-4-1).
"It took a thrilling end and obviously one that we thoroughly deserved," said the Knowles Family Director of Men's Soccer Jeremy Gunn. "Certainly everything about the game we were on top of apart from just a couple of moments from San Francisco."
Stanford came out ready to play on the front foot against a defensive-minded San Francisco team. The chances came early and often for the Cardinal as it entered the half leading in shots by a mark of 6-2, but the game remained scoreless at the break.
"It's always hard to break down a team when they bunker down like that," added Gunn. "But I was very happy with the way we continued to play and continued to pass. As the game wore on, we just got another half chance, another good chance, then another look."
More attacking opportunities for Stanford followed in the second half, with 13 more shots recorded in the final 45 minutes and a total of 19 for the game.
"We said at halftime, 'we can't say the goal is coming, we have to go out and find it'," said Gunn.
"And I'm very happy that the players continued to drive, play and ask questions."
As the clock wound down, Stanford continued to apply pressure and look for the match winner. Then in the 90th minute, freshman Will Reilly delivered his first career goal for the Cardinal.
"It was awesome," said Reilly of scoring the game winning goal. "It's an amazing feeling. I can't even remember the last time I scored a goal in a game and to do it in an environment like this, it feels so good."
Reilly tracked into the penalty box and found a cross from Carlo Agostinelli. When the ball came the freshman's way, he laced it straight into the net.
"I was just so happy for the team," added Reilly. "We put in a great shift, breaking the opponent down and sometimes it takes five minutes, this time it took 90 minutes but we got it done and that's all that matters."
This marked the Cardinal's final non conference game of the season, but a game at Pac-12 rival California will mark the regular season finale next week.
"We're still pushing we're still in it, I still think we're in a position now where we have everything to play for the last game of the season," said Gunn. "So the team should be excited to move on and what better situation than to play our cross-bay rivals in another classico?"
Stanford will close out the regular season in Berkeley against California next Thursday at 2 p.m.
