Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus Utah Tech on October 23, 2025 , Tie , 2, to, 2
M Soccer
vs Utah Tech
T 2-2
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Sunday, November 23
San Diego, Calif.
6 p.m. (MST)
Grand Canyon
14-3-5, 3-1-3
2
at
1
San Diego
13-3-3, 7-1-1
1
2
F
Grand Canyon
1
1
2
San Diego
0
1
1
Photo by: Brock Johnson
GCU tops No. 9 USD, joins Sweet 16 on late Diouf goal
11/23/2025 8:08:00 PM | Men's Soccer, Paul Coro
Lopes win 2-1 with Assane early goal taking lead before 88th-minute winner
SAN DIEGO — Grand Canyon men's soccer was not done making history Thursday.
The first team in program history to win an NCAA Division I Tournament match notched its second NCAA Tournament victory in four days, upsetting national No. 9 seed San Diego 2-1 on its home field Sunday night for a trip to the Sweet 16.
Four-time WCC champion San Diego (13-3-3) had not lost in 10 home matches this season, but GCU (14-3-5) struck early with a goal from graduate forward Ben Assane in the seventh minute and won the match on Lopes freshman Junior Diouf's nation-leading 18th goal in the 88th minute.
"We've advanced to a Sweet 16; that has a nice ring to it," Lopes second-year head coach George Kiefer said. "But what's great about it is we just get more time together. The guys don't know, but I'm a good cook. I'll have them over for Thanksgiving. Bobby Clark from Notre Dame said there's nothing better than when you're preparing after Thanksgiving. Then you know you've accomplished something."
Despite San Diego's 15-6 shot advantage in front of 1,511 fans at Torero Stadium, the Lopes made their shots count to advance to the Sweet 16 for a Saturday night matchup with No. 8 Portland (13-1-4, 10-0-1 at home).
After San Diego tied the match 1-1 in the 66th minute, the match was nearly headed to GCU's second consecutive overtime match after the Lopes won Thursday at UCLA on penalty kicks.
But in the 88th minute, GCU graduate goalkeeper Daniel Ibarra booted the ball toward midfield, where late-match substitution Allan Rosales, a junior midfielder, controlled the ball and passed wide to junior defender Felipe Cobian.
With Diouf streaking ahead, Cobian sent a pass upfield and a San Diego defender fell down and tried to knock the ball with his hand as Diouf took control outside the box, dribbled into it and chipped a goal from 16 yards out past the charging Toreros goalkeeper.
"I was waiting for him (USD goalkeeper Lucca Adams) to open that space, like keep the right side and open the left side," Diouf said of his only shot of the match. "If you watch the video again, I lift my head the first time and I see him close it. I lift it again, and I saw he closed it. Most of the time, I'm that guy who loves dribbling. But today, he closed everything and he was down. So I said, 'Why not chip it?' "
Ibarra made his sixth save in the 89th minute to help seal the Lopes' second NCAA Division I Tournament victory in four nights, with both coming in southern California.
GCU has allowed two goals in five postseason games with a defense that has allowed two goals in only two of 22 matches this season. Ibarra was protected well again by the back line of junior Felipe Cobian, sophomore Viggo Gustavvson and freshman Charles Volcy.
"I think we've been really good without the ball all season, and I think we're really good and quick and dangerous in transition," Kiefer said. "On the road, in front of that crowd, to be able to nip a ball and then find my guy to the right (Diouf), he takes care of the rest. It was a great way to win the game."
Diouf extended his national goals lead with No. 18, including tying the national lead for game-winning goals with his seventh. He could become the first freshman to lead the nation in scoring since 1999, when Conor Casey did it for the Portland program that GCU faces next. Four of Diouf's goals have come in the Lopes' five postseason matches.
"I want to praise God first, and I want to thank my teammates," Diouf said. "When I am playing and I watch behind me, I see 10 guys, 10 warriors who work hard for me. I can't take everything for me. I'm going to give all the credit to them because they work so hard to pass me the ball. I'm only doing the last thing, shooting the ball."
Diouf's offensive partner all season has been Assane, a fellow Senegalese who attended RISE Academy with him before coming to the U.S. Assane shares the team assist lead with Diouf because of Diouf finishes, but he added his third goal of the season and 19th goal of his college career to calm a crowd Kiefer called "electric."
"These NCAA games are like heavyweight fights," said Kiefer, who coached two Elite Eight teams at South Florida. "They start fast, and if you come out slow, it's not good. So I was really, really pleased when we started fast and got that goal."
GCU's goal in the sixth minute developed out of a corner kick by freshman Max Kiefer, who sent the ball to the far post where Diouf battled for a header. The ball deflected away from goal, but sophomore midfielder Xande Santos controlled it, dribbled right and passed to Assane on the right side of the goal box. Assane one-timed his shot into the far left side of the net for a 1-0 lead.
"We weren't scoring on set pieces, but we're still working harder and harder," Assane said. "The coaches said before we started, 'Win the first ball and win the second ball.' We always have that in our mind. When he (Kiefer) crossed it and he (Santos) came back, I have already put myself on the side and was making sure I'm not offside. As soon as he made a big touch, I just put my foot there and the ball was in the back of the net. That was an early guard. We were very pleased. We worked very hard for that one."
In the postgame press conference, San Diego head coach Brian Quinn talked about not getting video reviews for two plays, including Diouf's game-winning goal for a foul when San Diego defender Simon Duus Muller fell.
"Reflecting on this game, they (the Toreros) feel we've probably done enough to win, but they (the Lopes) took their chances at the right time," Quinn said.
Duus Muller added, "Today, soccer was cruel to us even though we might've deserved some more."
Saturday's GCU third-round match at Portland will be at 8 p.m. Phoenix time. The Lopes and Pilots have not met since a home-and-home series in 2015 and 2016, when each team won as the visitor. Portland advanced by defeating Denver on penalty kicks at home Sunday night. The Pilots and Pioneers were tied 1-1 after regulation and two overtimes, but Portland did not miss a penalty kick to win 5-4.
"I always say, 'Let's be united and eveyrthing is going to come,' " Assane said. "I always believed that Since I started my career in the D-I NCAA, I always have my eyes on going to nationals and doing something big. This year, I'm just playing for the team."
The first team in program history to win an NCAA Division I Tournament match notched its second NCAA Tournament victory in four days, upsetting national No. 9 seed San Diego 2-1 on its home field Sunday night for a trip to the Sweet 16.
Four-time WCC champion San Diego (13-3-3) had not lost in 10 home matches this season, but GCU (14-3-5) struck early with a goal from graduate forward Ben Assane in the seventh minute and won the match on Lopes freshman Junior Diouf's nation-leading 18th goal in the 88th minute."We've advanced to a Sweet 16; that has a nice ring to it," Lopes second-year head coach George Kiefer said. "But what's great about it is we just get more time together. The guys don't know, but I'm a good cook. I'll have them over for Thanksgiving. Bobby Clark from Notre Dame said there's nothing better than when you're preparing after Thanksgiving. Then you know you've accomplished something."
Despite San Diego's 15-6 shot advantage in front of 1,511 fans at Torero Stadium, the Lopes made their shots count to advance to the Sweet 16 for a Saturday night matchup with No. 8 Portland (13-1-4, 10-0-1 at home).
After San Diego tied the match 1-1 in the 66th minute, the match was nearly headed to GCU's second consecutive overtime match after the Lopes won Thursday at UCLA on penalty kicks.
But in the 88th minute, GCU graduate goalkeeper Daniel Ibarra booted the ball toward midfield, where late-match substitution Allan Rosales, a junior midfielder, controlled the ball and passed wide to junior defender Felipe Cobian.
With Diouf streaking ahead, Cobian sent a pass upfield and a San Diego defender fell down and tried to knock the ball with his hand as Diouf took control outside the box, dribbled into it and chipped a goal from 16 yards out past the charging Toreros goalkeeper.
"I was waiting for him (USD goalkeeper Lucca Adams) to open that space, like keep the right side and open the left side," Diouf said of his only shot of the match. "If you watch the video again, I lift my head the first time and I see him close it. I lift it again, and I saw he closed it. Most of the time, I'm that guy who loves dribbling. But today, he closed everything and he was down. So I said, 'Why not chip it?' "
Ibarra made his sixth save in the 89th minute to help seal the Lopes' second NCAA Division I Tournament victory in four nights, with both coming in southern California.
GCU has allowed two goals in five postseason games with a defense that has allowed two goals in only two of 22 matches this season. Ibarra was protected well again by the back line of junior Felipe Cobian, sophomore Viggo Gustavvson and freshman Charles Volcy."I think we've been really good without the ball all season, and I think we're really good and quick and dangerous in transition," Kiefer said. "On the road, in front of that crowd, to be able to nip a ball and then find my guy to the right (Diouf), he takes care of the rest. It was a great way to win the game."
Diouf extended his national goals lead with No. 18, including tying the national lead for game-winning goals with his seventh. He could become the first freshman to lead the nation in scoring since 1999, when Conor Casey did it for the Portland program that GCU faces next. Four of Diouf's goals have come in the Lopes' five postseason matches.
"I want to praise God first, and I want to thank my teammates," Diouf said. "When I am playing and I watch behind me, I see 10 guys, 10 warriors who work hard for me. I can't take everything for me. I'm going to give all the credit to them because they work so hard to pass me the ball. I'm only doing the last thing, shooting the ball."
Diouf's offensive partner all season has been Assane, a fellow Senegalese who attended RISE Academy with him before coming to the U.S. Assane shares the team assist lead with Diouf because of Diouf finishes, but he added his third goal of the season and 19th goal of his college career to calm a crowd Kiefer called "electric."
"These NCAA games are like heavyweight fights," said Kiefer, who coached two Elite Eight teams at South Florida. "They start fast, and if you come out slow, it's not good. So I was really, really pleased when we started fast and got that goal."
GCU's goal in the sixth minute developed out of a corner kick by freshman Max Kiefer, who sent the ball to the far post where Diouf battled for a header. The ball deflected away from goal, but sophomore midfielder Xande Santos controlled it, dribbled right and passed to Assane on the right side of the goal box. Assane one-timed his shot into the far left side of the net for a 1-0 lead.
"We weren't scoring on set pieces, but we're still working harder and harder," Assane said. "The coaches said before we started, 'Win the first ball and win the second ball.' We always have that in our mind. When he (Kiefer) crossed it and he (Santos) came back, I have already put myself on the side and was making sure I'm not offside. As soon as he made a big touch, I just put my foot there and the ball was in the back of the net. That was an early guard. We were very pleased. We worked very hard for that one." In the postgame press conference, San Diego head coach Brian Quinn talked about not getting video reviews for two plays, including Diouf's game-winning goal for a foul when San Diego defender Simon Duus Muller fell.
"Reflecting on this game, they (the Toreros) feel we've probably done enough to win, but they (the Lopes) took their chances at the right time," Quinn said.
Duus Muller added, "Today, soccer was cruel to us even though we might've deserved some more."
Saturday's GCU third-round match at Portland will be at 8 p.m. Phoenix time. The Lopes and Pilots have not met since a home-and-home series in 2015 and 2016, when each team won as the visitor. Portland advanced by defeating Denver on penalty kicks at home Sunday night. The Pilots and Pioneers were tied 1-1 after regulation and two overtimes, but Portland did not miss a penalty kick to win 5-4.
"I always say, 'Let's be united and eveyrthing is going to come,' " Assane said. "I always believed that Since I started my career in the D-I NCAA, I always have my eyes on going to nationals and doing something big. This year, I'm just playing for the team."
THE WINNER! 💥
— GCU Men's Soccer (@GCU_MSoccer) November 24, 2025
💻 - ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/21x1Id4Eoc
Through traffic a goal is scored! ⚽️
— GCU Men's Soccer (@GCU_MSoccer) November 24, 2025
Ben Assane gives GCU a 1-0 lead in the NCAA Tournament Second Round.
💻 - ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/uPhO5S7WOO
Team Stats
GCU
USD
Goals
2
1
Shots
6
16
Shots on Goal
2
7
Saves
6
0
Corners
2
3
Fouls
6
11
Scoring Plays
Ben Assane Fall (3)
Assisted By: Xande Santos
Left-sided corner kick by 11 to back post; ball knocked up, then cleared by defender right to 19, who takes couple touches before 18 bangs right-footed shot through traffic to bottom left from right edge of 6-yard box
05:24
Iain Wagner (9)
Assisted By: Jaxson Findlay
Right-sided cross by 11 to glancing near-post header by 16; saved off crossbar by GK, with 13 tapping into empty net right-footed from inside 6 yards
65:45
Junior Diouf (18)
Assisted By: Felipe Cobian , Allan Rosales
Through balls ahead by 32 and then 3 for 9, who gets just inside box and chips right-footed shot over oncoming GK
87:39
Game Leaders
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
fwd
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's SoccerD
/ Men's SoccerF
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's SoccerM
/ Men's Soccer
D
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