There are often instances in sports where one team just can’t solve the other.
In the Big Ten era, UCLA (3-1-4, 0-1-2 Big Ten) has two wins and two draws against Maryland (6-1-1, 1-1-1 Big Ten). The most recent fixture involved the top-seeded Terrapins hosting the Bruins in last year’s Big Ten semifinal match, which ended in a shock 2-0 upset for the visitors. UCLA, of course, would then go on to win the Big Ten championship.
So when Maryland, entering Friday’s contest with revenge on its mind, took a 1-0 lead within five minutes of play, it appeared those UCLA demons may have been exorcised.
And although the Bruins leveled in the 19th minute, a straight red card in the 30th minute to fifth-year midfielder Diego Martinez spelled disaster, and cracked open the door for the Terrapins to redeem themselves.
Instead, both teams would find the back of the net in the second half, and Maryland would have to wait another day for a shot to beat the Bruins.
UCLA men’s soccer battled through a 2-2 draw against No. 4 Maryland at Ludwig Field on Friday evening.
In a rematch of the 2025 Big Ten semifinal, where UCLA punched above its weight and snapped Maryland’s undefeated streak, the Bruins again rose to the occasion and clawed to a deserved point despite having 10 men on the field for the majority of the match.
A searching ball over the top fell to striker Rodrigo Neri, who handled defensive pressure and slotted the opening goal past senior goalkeeper Wyatt Nelson to put the Terrapins on top within five minutes.
Neri’s opener against the run of play stung the men from Westwood, but the Bruins still started the match on the front foot, and regained their momentum leading up to junior midfielder Jaime Amaro’s equalizer in the 19th minute. A pass from sophomore midfielder Ander Marticorena placed Amaro at the top of the 18-yard box, where the Spaniard curled a lovely left-footed shot into the bottom right corner.
However, the good times were cut short by Martinez’s sending off. Standing at the halfway line as the last man in a high press, Martinez dealt with another ball over the top by fouling Neri, denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity and seeing red from the referee. Undermanned, the Bruins sat back and defended until halftime.
Despite the disadvantage, UCLA continued to push forward in attacking situations and earn set pieces. Multiple corner kicks later, they were rewarded handsomely in the 54th minute by a headed finish from fifth-year defender Victor Ciaurriz, shocking the Terrapins and putting the Bruins in front, 2-1.
While UCLA tried to dig in and preserve the lead, Maryland threw huge numbers forward, narrowly missing a free kick and a header into the ground, and rattling the post from long range. The equalizer instead resulted from Bruin shakiness, when Nelson bobbled a shot and spilled the ball while out of position, allowing forward Dominic Ayella to tap in his team’s second goal in the 78th minute.
UCLA would stave off a third Terrapin goal, and earn an impressive point against the fourth-best team in the country. Despite tanking 24 shots from their opponents, the Bruins still had eight shots on goal compared to Maryland’s seven.
The Bruins will stay on the East side to face Penn State on Monday, Sep. 28, at 4 p.m. PT
