The Western Oregon men’s soccer squad opened its 2026 campaign in dramatic fashion, erasing a two‑goal hole to defeat MSU Denver 3‑2 on home turf.
A Late Surge
Freshman forward Archie Dhima sparked the comeback with a well‑placed strike in the 71st minute, assisted by Issak Abraham, cutting the deficit to one.
Just seven minutes later Dhima converted a penalty to level the scores at 2‑2, showcasing composure under pressure.
The decisive moment arrived in the 82nd minute when Ifancio Brandan, also setting up Dhima’s earlier goal, found the net on another assist from Dhima to seal a 3‑2 victory.
Despite being outshot overall, the Wolves dominated shots on target, finishing with eight on goal to Denver’s four, while the match was punctuated by nine yellow cards and a combined 28 fouls.
The team will travel to Salt Lake City this Saturday to face Westminster at 1:30 p.m. PT, looking to build momentum early in the season.
Coach and players alike praised the resilience shown in the second half, noting that the early setback only strengthened their resolve for the battles ahead.