ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Oakland fell to Michigan 2-1 on Tuesday at U-M Soccer Stadium. The Golden Grizzlies scored an equalizer in the first minute of the second half, via
Grant Mateer, but conceded late in the match to fall in a tight match.
Oakland absorbed immediate U of M pressure, with
Sebastian Stanaj saving shots by Will Baker at 1:24 and Nico Pendleton at 7:04 while the match remained scoreless. U of M continued to press with additional corner kicks and shots in the middle of the half, but Oakland reached the final minutes still even. Oakland's clearest recorded attacking stretch came from 39:03 to 40:25, when it earned three consecutive corner kicks before U of M broke through late.
Oakland stayed level until the 43rd minute, when Grayson Elmquist converted a penalty kick for U of M at 42:29 to leave the Golden Grizzlies behind 1-0 at halftime.
Grant Mateer brought Oakland level at 1-1 just 1:25 into the second half, finishing at 46:25 off assists from
Cal Kurzawa and
Kinan Abdulrazzak.
Ethan Clarke-Rootham followed with a shot wide right at 50:41, but Oakland then had to absorb a U of M stretch from 53:59 to 64:33 that included six shots and four corner kicks while the score remained tied.
The half grew more physical as the match drew later and still at an even score. Michael Haikal scored for U of M at 86:21 to make it 2-1, and Oakland pushed late with a
Stephen Gilbert shot at 87:55 and a corner kick at 89:41. With less than ten seconds left, the Golden Grizzlies scored what they believed to be the equalizer, until VAR overturned the score and ruled it offsides, ending the match a U of M 2-1 win.
Mateer scored Oakland's goal on his lone shot and put it on frame. Kurzawa recorded an assist for the Golden Grizzlies.
Kinan Abdulrazzak added an assist.
Sebastian Stanaj played all 90 minutes in goal and made two saves.
Up next, the Golden Grizzlies visit Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, at 4 p.m. in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
