SAN DIEGO — Deuces were wild on a rainy Wednesday night at Torero Stadium as a pair of sophomores scored leading the No. 23 San Diego men's soccer team (5-1-2, 0-0-0 WCC) to a 2-0 victory ending the undefeated season of the No. 20 UC Irvine Anteaters (5-1-1, 0-0-0 BW).

The first half was a chess match as both teams battled in the midfield, but USD put on a clinic with their counterattacks. Striking first, Josh Martinez assisted a Godwin Antwi header for his first collegiate goal that proved to be the game winner in the 72nd minute to put USD ahead 1-0.

With the Anteaters looking for an equalizer late in the game, the UCI back line was caught off guard when Luca Fava won the ball and assisted Devin Zachry's second goal as a Torero putting the nail in the coffin for UC Irvine in the 89th minute for a 2-0 USD victory. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Dominating possession the first 10 minutes of the game, Cesar Bahena played a cross into the six-yard box from the right side of the box in which Zachry laid off a pass for Noah James who missed just high denying USD's first goal of the game.
• In the 33rd minute, substitutes Josh Martinez and Steven Ramirez connected for the team's third shot of the game, narrowly missing on a far post shot from the right side.
• Both teams went back and forth battling for possession as 78% of the first half was played in the midfield between the two sides.
• Quickly into the start of the second half at the 48 minute mark, Samy Kanaan barely missed a curling shot aimed for the top right corner from outside the 18-yard box.
• The first save of the night came from Lucca Adams on a deflected shot which was also the first shot on goal for either side. 
• Adams came off his line to pounce on a through ball that was UC Irvine's best chance of the match in the 61st minute.
• Owen Walz played a long ball in the 62nd minute into the box that Kanaan headed for a shot just over the crossbar.
• Adams started a counterattack, feeding Fava on the run who played a through ball to Bahena taking a shot that was deflected for a corner. Martinez then assisted a pass in the six-yard box in which Antwi headed in the first goal of the game in the 72nd minute.
• After a Torero handball at the midfield line, the Anteater goalkeeper played a long ball into the box that Fava battled to win dishing a great ball to Zachry who dribbled up field for the game-settling goal as USD earned a 2-0 victory over the previously unbeaten Anteaters. 

TORERO TIDBITS 

• The Toreros added to their advantage in the all-time series against the Anteaters as they improved to 21-6-3 and have now won four straight matches over their fellow Southern California institution.
• Super substitute Antwi scored his first collegiate goal in the 72nd minute opening the scoring. As the shortest player on the field (5'8") scored on the tallest student-athlete for the goal (6'7").
• Set piece specialist Martinez dealt his second assist from a set piece which also marked his second assist of the season. 
• Zachry scored his second goal of the season as he made his second career start as a Torero. 
• Making his return from injury, Kanaan came off the Torero bench and played 40 minutes against the Anteaters on Wednesday.
• Entering tonight's match UC Irvine had allowed just one goal throughout their first six games of the 2025 season. 

CATCHING UP WITH THE TOREROS 

• To view the post game press conference with head coach Brian Quinn and student-athletes Godwin Antwi and Josh Martinez, please click here. 

UP NEXT 
The Toreros will be back in action on Sunday evening at home looking to continue climbing up the rankings as they will take on crosstown foe UC San Diego (0-4-2, 0-0-0 BW). Kick-off against the Tritons is set for 5:00 p.m. To find links to the broadcast, live statistics or tickets for Sunday's match please click here.