Kloppenburg stoppage time goal earns Huskies 1-1 draw against #3 ranked Capers

HALIFAX, NS – Huskies midfielder Ben Kloppenburg scored a stoppage time penalty kick goal to erase a deficit and earn Saint Mary's a single point in a thrilling 1-1 draw against the U SPORTS #3 ranked Cape Breton Capers on Sunday, in front of 331 fans at Huskies Stadium in Halifax.

The game got off to a lightning start when Jacob Spizzirri (Woodbridge, ON) found the back of the net with the help of Cameron Kilbride's (Blackpool, Eng) amazing assist past the Huskies defence in only the 3^rd minute, earning the visitors a crucial early advantage at 1-0.

The Huskies were fueled by their hunger to make a comeback and narrow the deficit as Sean Freeman (Halifax, NS) took a powerful shot that was saved well by Capers goalkeeper Daniel Clarke (Milton Keynes, ENG). The team's spirit shone through as the Huskies crafted several menacing attacking opportunities, clearly focused on finding the back of the net but the Capers defence held firm.

A defining moment came in the 36^th minute when Nikolai Scheurenbrand (Nebringen, DE) unleashed a lethal shot on target, which was saved extremely well by Huskies keeper Ryan Davis (Lake Loon, NS) who displayed fast hands and great reflexes, denying the visitors their second goal and keeping the Huskies in the game.

During the initial 20 minutes of the second half, the game witnessed a dynamic exchange of opportunities between both teams. However, the defensive lines on both sides exhibited resilience, shutting down any attempts by the opposition attack until the 67^th minute, when Jacob Spizzirri found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and unleashed a shot that was denied by Ryan Davis's brilliance maintaining the score 1-0.

The Capers created another chance in the 75^th minute, when Jason Hartill (Carleton Place, ON) unleashed a thunderous shot that was miraculously saved by Ryan Davis again.

The Huskies answered back with a chance of their own in the 83^rd minute, when Colby Mercer (Beaverbank, NS) shot a powerful shot on target which was denied by Daniel Clarke's lightning-fast reflexes.

The dramatic moment of the match came in stoppage time when Colby Mercer was brought down in the penalty box by Capers defender Ben Fortuin (Maidenhead, ENG). The official pointed to the spot in no time awarding a penalty to the Huskies. As the stadium held its breath, Ben Kloppenburg (Halifax, NS) calmly placed the ball to the net sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, awarding Huskies with a goal and tying the match at 1-1.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ⚽️

Huskies midfielder Ben Kloppenburg with a dramatic 90th minute PK goal to tie the match 1-1 and earn a well-deserved point against the @USPORTSca #3 ranked @gocapersgo ! pic.twitter.com/GekR2k465b

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) September 24, 2023

The player of the match went to Huskies goalkeeper Ryan Davis who made outstanding saves and kept the Huskies in the game throughout.

The Huskies (3-2-1) will next look to win three points against the UNB Reds on Sept. 29 at 7:15 P.M at the Huskies Stadium, while the Capers (5-0-1) will look to extend their undefeated record against UPEI Panthers on Sept. 29 at 7:15 P.M. at CBU.

Recap by Samarth Behl / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Eduardo Ibarra / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics