Sports

Announcer Delivers All-Time Freak Out After College Soccer Team Hits Walk-Off Goal From WAY Downtown

by Last Updated
Stanford Soccer Walk-Off Goal
Getty Image

Stanford was eight seconds way from extra time during Wednesday’s college soccer game at the first round of the ACC Tournament at Cagan Stadium in Palo Alto. The Cardinal scored a walk-off goal as time expired, which sent play-by-play announcer Kevin Danna into a state of disbelief.

It was the best finish to any soccer match you’ll see all year!

Stanford earned the No. 7-seed in its first year as an ill-fitting member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and hosted Notre Dame as the No. 10-seed. They went to war.

Although the visitors scored first on a PK, the home team responded back in the 34th minute. The score was tied at one goal a piece through the first 45 minutes, which extended into the 84th.

Stanford pulled off a miracle!

Midfielder Will Reilly buried a penalty kick of his own to give the Cardinal a lead with less than 10 minutes left on the clock. All they needed to do was park the bus to advance to the quarterfinals on Sunday.

If only it were that simple! Chaos ensued, which made for an exhilarating finish. The Fighting Irish were set up with what appeared to be one final chance to tie the game with under one minute remaining in the match. They set up for an indirect free kick with 10 seconds left and scored.

Notre Dame and Stanford were tied at two goals each.

College soccer in America does not count up from zero to 90 like its professional counterparts. Rather, it counts down from 45 for each half. The half is over when the buzzer sounds, like basketball or football.

As a result, the Cardinal had one final opportunity to claim victory. If the clock was to expire before the end of the possession, it would not be allowed to continue. Regular time would end. Extra time would ensue.

Defenseman Dylan Hooper had a different idea. He unleashed a rocket from midfield and scored right before the buzzer on an absolute laser from way downtown to win the match in epic walk-off fashion.

Danna might’ve had a heart attack in the booth. Take a listen:

Stanford, which is referring to the breathtaking goal as the ‘Miracle From Midfield,’ will play Clemson in the quarterfinal this weekend. It will be a rematch of last year’s NCAA Tournament quarterfinal, when the Tigers proved victorious by a score of 2-0.