Last Second Goal by Dekel Daks Delivers Carolina Victory
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Ethan Dekel Daks scored with five seconds left in the match to lift the South Carolina men’s soccer team (4-5-2, 2-1-1) to a 1-0 Sun Belt Conference victory over visiting Old Dominion (5-1-5, 2-1-1) Saturday night (Oct. 7).
On the night, Carolina out-shot the Monarchs 16-to-12 and 8-to-3 in shots on goal. ODU led 12-to-10 in corner kicks.
The Gamecock offense pushed the tempo in the first half, putting up six shots on goal. The lone shot on goal from the Monarchs came in the 3rd minute, on a header off a corner that Peter Clement knocked away to earn a team defensive save.
Both defenses were stingy in the second half, as Carolina didn’t allow a shot on goal until the 62nd minute. The Gamecocks were held without one until Rocky Perez nearly put home the game-winner in the 87th minute.
With 34 seconds left in the match, Dekel Daks drew a foul outside the 18-yard box. With the clock ticking down to the final seconds, Dekel Daks stepped up to take the free kick from 28 yards out. With five seconds left, he delivered for the Gamecocks with his third goal of the season to the upper right 90, sending the team and bench into a massive dogpile celebration.
89′ | GOALLLLLLLLLLL Carolina! @ethandekel1 with the winning goal wrapping up tonights game!
🐔 1 | 0 👑#WEareCarolina pic.twitter.com/hs7Z7A9756
— Gamecock Men’s Soccer (@GamecockMSoccer) October 8, 2023
All three of Dekel Daks’ goals on the season have been game-winners. The goal at the 89:55 mark was the latest goal by a Carolina player since Bryce Griffith scored with 12 seconds left against Dayton last season.
In goal for South Carolina, Ben Alexander finished with two saves to earn his third shutout of the season.
Carolina continues its homestand Thursday (Oct. 12), when they host No. 3 ranked West Virginia at 7 p.m.
📸🎥 10/10…
😱 The goal by @EthanDekel1
🎉 The celebration by… 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬𝗢𝗡𝗘#WEareCarolina pic.twitter.com/2TSaZuNpXn— Gamecock Men’s Soccer (@GamecockMSoccer) October 8, 2023
For the latest on men’s soccer, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockMSoccer, Facebook /GamecockMSoccer, and Instagram @GamecockMSoccer.