Stanford men’s soccer secured a 2-1 win over No. 4 Denver at Cagan Stadium on Sunday night, continuing its streak of victories against top-five opponents for the third consecutive season. The Cardinal improved to 2-0-0 early in the season, while Denver dropped to 1-1-0.
“Everyone watching must have had an incredible time because tonight was just a fantastic game of soccer,” said Jeremy Gunn, the Knowles Family Director of Men’s Soccer. “I was so impressed with how well we played. We were so dominant against a very, very good team. It’s a great game that can go either way, but I really felt that we were deserving in the game.”
Stanford started strong offensively, recording eight shots within the first 20 minutes and maintaining pressure in Denver’s defensive zone. In the 20th minute, freshman Jack Pymm scored his second goal in as many games after collecting a clearance and sending a shot off the left post into the net.
Despite continued offensive efforts from Stanford, including two forced saves by Denver’s goalkeeper, both teams went into halftime with Stanford leading by one goal.
Denver tied the match shortly after halftime when Ian Welch capitalized on a turnover near Stanford’s box and scored under the crossbar.
The match remained even until Shane De Flores assisted Zach Bohane in scoring via a deflection off a Denver defender in the 74th minute, putting Stanford ahead once more.
Denver nearly equalized again following a handball penalty against Stanford in the 79th minute. Kyle McGowan took the penalty kick for Denver but was stopped by Rowan Schnebly’s save.
“He’s actually a buddy of mine. We played growing up together but it’s been a long time since I’ve faced him,” Schnebly said. “I just went with my gut. There’s not much you can do at the end of the day. I guessed the right way and thankfully made the save.”
Stanford maintained its lead through late attacks from Denver and finished with significant advantages: outshooting Denver 23-7 overall and holding a 5-2 edge on corner kicks.
“We never guarantee a victory, but we really focus on guaranteeing a strong work ethic for every player on the pitch and putting the work in for your teammates,” Gunn said. “When you work together like we did, you end up looking pretty impressive and being really tough to play. I’m super proud of how we played tonight.”
