HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - In a tightly contested match, Oakland and Northern Kentucky ended in a 1-1 draw at NKU Soccer Stadium on September 21, 2024. Both teams displayed solid defense and had multiple scoring opportunities, but neither could break the deadlock in the second half.

Oakland came out aggressive, looking to dominate possession early, and their efforts paid off in the 19th minute as Abdul Al-Rashed opened the scoring with an amazing goal in the 18th minute as he showed impressive footwork and creativity in tight quarters for the goal. The score marked his first of the season and first career goal as a Golden Grizzly.

Al-Rashed was the standout player for the Golden Grizzlies in the first half, tallying three shots, all on target, including the crucial goal.

The Golden Grizzlies recorded six shots in the first half, with four on goal. Al-Rashed and Milan Dajic tested Northern Kentucky's goalkeeper, Nic Lemen, who made three  saves to keep the game close. Oakland's Jack Klomparens and Lejs Plicanic each contributed with one shot apiece, while Alex Flowers made two key saves in goal to maintain the 1-0 lead for Oakland heading into halftime.

Northern Kentucky pushed back as the half progressed, registering nine shots, two of which were on target. Their best chances came from Ali Taleb, who forced a save from Flowers in the 20th minute, and Douglas Fajardo, whose shot was blocked in the 24th minute. However, the Norse were unable to find the back of the net before the break.

The Norse came out determined in the second half, applying pressure on the Oakland defense. In the 59th minute, their persistence paid off as Tyler Murphy netted the equalizer with an assist from Itay Soffer, bringing the score to 1-1.

Murphy had several additional opportunities to give the Norse the lead, recording four shots in total, two of which were on target, but Alex Flowers continued to be a force in the Oakland goal with crucial saves.

Despite the Golden Grizzlies' best efforts, including shots by Jace Foster and Jack Klomparens, they could not find the go-ahead goal. Foster was particularly active, recording three shots in the second half, two of which were blocked by the Norse defense. Al-Rashed remained Oakland's main offensive threat, registering his fourth shot on goal in the 77th minute, but once again, Nic Lemen made the save.

At the end of 90 minutes of play, Northern Kentucky held a slight edge in total shots, registering 15 shots compared to Oakland's 13. However, Oakland was more precise with their efforts, putting seven of their shots on goal, while Northern Kentucky only managed four shots on target.

The goalkeepers were instrumental in keeping the game level, with Alex Flowers making three crucial saves for Oakland, and Nic Lemen standing out for Northern Kentucky with six saves. Oakland also created more opportunities from set-pieces, earning four corner kicks to Northern Kentucky's two. Possession was controlled by Oakland for much of the match, as they held 57% of the ball, while Northern Kentucky managed 43%.

The Golden Grizzlies have a week until their next contest, returning home for a matchup against IU Indy on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 2 pm.