POMONA, CA - On paper, the SFU Clan were seemingly outmatched against Cal Poly Pomona, as the Broncos came in ranked fourth nationally, and as the NCAA Division II National Runners-Up from 2015.

Good thing soccer games aren't played on paper.

The Clan were full value in a 2-0 win over the Broncos, getting goals from freshmen Erik Morden and Rahid Rahiem, with senior captain Ryan Dhillon notching assists on both tallies. The flow of play is highlighted by the counting stats, where the Clan outshot Cal Poly 12-2 in the contest.

Going in against a highly-ranked, highly-skilled opponent, the Clan played the role of nuisance to perfection in the first half. Breaking up passing lanes, and not giving the Broncos time to think or get in a rhythm, the Clan found themselves in control of the contest.  

"We had to play smart defensively, and really couldn't afford to give them anything," remarked Schneider. "They're such a talented team that if we had given them even a small window of opportunity, they would have capitalized. Our guys played our game plan to perfection – the execution was flawless tonight."

Morden finally drew first blood for the Clan with just three minutes remaining in the first half. The freshman broke down the center of the park, timing his run perfectly with a well-struck cross from Dhillon, and beat Broncos netminder Jason Trejos with a one-touch finish.

"It was a perfect ball from Ryan and a world class finish from Erik," said Schneider.
Moving into the second stanza, the Clan kept the pressure up on the defensive side of the ball, with SFU's stellar back line doing most of the heavy lifting - again.

"I feel like I said this last game, but the defending from the backline was incredible. Between Magnus [Kristensen], Pascal [Schmidt], Tony [Van de Vendel], Robert [Hyams], and Andre [Pietramala], I don't think [goalkeeper] Brandon Watson had to face a shot. To do what they did tonight against such a good opponent, it was great to watch."

The Broncos actually got one shot on goal, but the point remains.

The Clan bagged all-important insurance marker with under 12 to go in the contest. It was Dhillon setting up again from the right flank, this time beating his defender before sending a low cross into the Broncos' box. A Pomona defender tried to make a play on it, but his header landed right at he feet of the rookie midfielder Rahiem, who put a low bullet past Trejos to seal the result.

"I can't say how proud I am of the guys today. Really, this is a terrific win for us. We're going to enjoy it for the next couple of hours, and tomorrow, then it's back to work when we get home," said Schneider.

SFU will next take the pitch when they face the Notre Dame de Namur Argonauts in Bellingham, WA on Saturday, September 10. The opening kick-off is set for 1:00 pm.