Clutch moments give GCU 2-1 win over CSUN

Sunday, September 20

Northridge, Calif.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

3-5-0, 0-0-0

CSUN

3-4-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Grand Canyon	1	1	2
CSUN	1	0	1

9/20/2026 10:59:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score

Camaño scores 4th goal; Fernandez stops late penalty kick

By: Nick Macdonald

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Grand Canyon men's soccer finished nonconference action Sunday evening at CSU Northridge, where it rallied from an early 1-0 hole to win 2-1 after a brilliant penalty kick save in Northridge.

News and notes

GCU freshman forward Arnau Camaño scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season at the tail end of the first half. The Spaniard once again received a pass from senior midfielder Jorge Lopez with another assist from freshman Godson Anim just two minutes before halftime.
Lopez added his 13th career assist in Sunday's win, surpassing Justin Rasmussen for second place and tying Marco Alfonso for the Division I-era program record for career assists.
Lopes senior goalkeeper Beltran Fernandez subbed in the 86th minute to face a penalty kick and dived to his left to stop the would-be tying goal. Freshman goalkeeper AJ Mather-Nash was credited with the win and finished with a career-best five saves.

A pair of teams that rank in the top 40 nationally for shot attempts faced off under the lights in Northridge. GCU (3-5) entered the match ranked fourth in the nation at 19 shots per game. CSUN (3-4-1) finished the match with 11, including seven on goal.

Jorge Solorzano gave the Matadors a 1-0 lead with a free kick from the top of the box that found the upper right 90, passing a diving save attempt by Mather-Nash.

The Lopes tallied 17 shots with 12 on goal, peppering late first-half strikes that were either saved or blocked by a defender on top of the goal line.

The first goal finally went through after a one-two pass that went from Lopez to Anim, who connected on a cross to the center box for Camaño's right foot. The freshman stuck it in the back of the net and tied the match at 1-1 with 71 seconds remaining in the first half.

GCU's offense fed off the momentum of the late goal into the second half as seven Lopes registered a shot. Senior midfielder Martin Luala took a team-high three shots, while Lopez, junior Raul Vazquez and freshman Felix Oberwaditzer each had two.

It was Oberwaditzer's second shot attempt that proved to be the game-winner.

The defenseman came in on a corner kick, and after a brilliant cross in from freshman midfielder João Gonçalinho, he used his head to sneak it inside the left post for the score and a 2-1 lead. It was the freshman's first career goal and GCU had the lead with 10 minutes to play.

CSUN's last-minute attack eventually led to a foul inside the box. After being awarded a corner kick, a review awarded CSUN a penalty kick at the 86th minute. Fernandez subbed on for Mather-Nash and stopped the would-be game tying goal with a diving stop to his left. Opponents are 0-2 against GCU in penalty kick attempts this season.

The Lopes cleared the ensuing corner kick and celebrated a 2-1 victory to close out nonconference action.

GCU returns home and opens Mountain West play for the first time in program history Saturday versus UNLV. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. on MW+ and Arizona's Family Sports.