HAMILTON, Ont. — The McMaster Marauders (1-1, 2nd West) were unable to secure a spot in the 2024 Men's Soccer OUA Championship match, falling 1-0 in a shootout against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks (2-0, 5th East).
The first half was scoreless. McMaster's best chance came from an Amir Shirazi (Oakville, Ont.) shot that missed just wide. Minutes later, third-year keeper Ethan Cagalj (Stoney Creek, Ont.) made a crucial save, keeping the Ridgebacks off the board.
Early in the second half, Paul Ekwueme (Hamilton, Ont.) beat the Ridgebacks' goalkeeper and set up Shirazi, who tapped the ball into Ontario Tech's net. However, the goal was disallowed due to an offside ruling.
The Ridgebacks controlled possession for much of the second half. Cagalj made a leaping save in the 67th minute to prevent a close call under the crossbar. The Marauders had their opportunities but couldn't capitalize; by the 77th minute, Ontario Tech had recorded three shots on goal to McMaster's zero.
Then, Jacob Patten (Hamilton, Ont.) nearly took the first lead of the match, but Ontario Tech's keeper deflected the shot in the nick of time. With seconds left in regulation, Ontario Tech had a clear shot on goal, but Cagalj made his fourth save to force extra time.
In the fifth minute of extra time, Jameel Durhan (Mississauga, Ont.) had an excellent chance, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out of bounds. Both teams had their opportunities, but the first half of extra time ended goalless.
The final 15 minutes followed the same pattern. The Marauders broke past Ridgebacks' defenders, and midfielder Jacobo Cordon Cruz (Oakville, Ont.) had a near-open net but narrowly missed, pushing the game to a shootout.
Shootout
McMaster's leading scorer, Amir Shirazi, took the first attempt in the shootout. To much of the crowd's surprise, Ontario Tech's goalkeeper made the save.
Both teams exchanged goals on attempts two through eight, with McMaster's Mohamed Alshakman (Hamilton, Ont.), Matthew Pavia (Georgetown, Ont.), and Christian Alfieri (Milton, Ont.) each scoring.
McMaster's 2024 season came to an end when Cordon Cruz's attempt was saved, sealing Ontario Tech's victory.
The last time McMaster advanced to the OUA Championship was in 2022. The Marauders aim to return stronger next season.
