Ibrahim scores golden goal to lift UCSB to NCAA win

It was a player with a pacemaker that kept UCSB’s heart beating in the NCAA men’s soccer tournament.

Waid Ibrahim, who has played little this season because of his heart condition, came off the bench and scored five minutes into the second overtime period to give the Gauchos a dramatic 1-0 victory over Denver in a first-round match before 3,717 at Harder Stadium on Thursday night.

The win puts the Gauchos (14-4-3) into Sunday’s second round at sixth-seeded California.

UCSB coach Tim Vom Steeg inserted Ibrahim into the match at the start of the second overtime with the idea he would either score a game-winner or convert in a possible penalty-kick shootout.

The shootout wasn’t necessary as Danny Barrera ran onto an entry pass from Sam Garza and poked the ball to Ibrahim at the top of the box. Ibrahim took a touch to his right and blasted a right-footed shot that beat Denver’s 6-5 goalkeeper Joe Willis.

Waid Ibrahim celebrates his game-winning goal with Luis Silva (7) and Danny Barrera (15). (Vince Agapito Photos)

Sam Garza sets up to put another shot on goal for UCSB. Denver goalie Joe Willis made one of his 10 saves.

A joyous Ibrahim ran toward the middle of the field, dropped to the ground and was mobbed by his jubilant teammates and fans.

Even though he’d played only four matches all season, Vom Steeg said he had a gut instinct about putting Ibrahim into the game Thursday.

“Waid is largely on our roster because he probably hits the best PK on our team,” Vom Steeg said. “Did I plan on using him? Yeah. If we had go to PKs I know Waid can finish a PK as well as anyone in the country.”

Ibrahim was confident he could make a difference before the game went to a shootout.

“When I went into the game I just wanted a shot,” he said. “I really don’t how (Barrera) saw me. When I saw the ball it came into my head that this was my moment; I shot it and thank God it went in.”

Said Barrera, “He knows how to finish.”

Barrera noted that it was special to see Ibrahim score the game-winner.

“For someone so talented and not be able to play, I know how much it hurts him to see us out there and how much he wants to contribute. I’m glad tonight he could.
It’s really good for everyone.”

Ibrahim said he was inspired by the hard work of his teammates and seeing Luis Silva playing on a gimpy ankle.

UCSB goalie Sam Hayden goes high to snare one of the few shots on goal by University of Denver

“Maybe this is my moment, five minutes I can give back to the team,” he said. “Before this season I was working really hard, hoping this would be a season that I could do a lot on the field. Unfortunately things went south, but I’m just glad tonight I was able to go in a score that goal.”

The goal was a heartbreaker for Denver, (9-7-6) which played a solid defensive game and was hoping to take the Gauchos to a penalty-kick shootout against Willis, who had stopped 10 shots.

“It took a very good goal to beat us,” said Denver coach Bobby Muuss. “I thought we made it very difficult for UCSB to get behind us. No. 11 scored a great goal from distance and didn’t get behind us.”

The Gauchos thoroughly dominated the game. They outshot Denver 31-4 (including a couple off the posts) and controlled possession of the ball for most of the 105 minutes.

“Our group is a resilient group,” Vom Steeg said. “It will run and work. It’s a group made up of a bunch of hardworking warriors, and tonight they stayed after it.”