The California men's soccer team concludes its Boston-area sojourn when it takes on Harvard in a nonconference clash Wednesday at 3 p.m. PT.
 
The Golden Bears are unbeaten on the road at 3-0-0, including Sunday's 2-0 win at Boston College in their ACC opener. Cal has a 3-1-1 overall record, while the Crimson is 1-1-0.
 
At Harvard (1-1-0)
When: Wednesday, Sept. 10, 3 p.m. PT
Where: Jordan Field, Cambridge, Mass.
Watch: ESPN+ (subscription required)
Live Stats: Sidearm
 
Cal Beats Eagles In ACC Opener
Malcolm Zalayet scored for the second straight game and Luka Lukic added his team-leading fourth goal of the season to give Cal a 2-0 win at Boston College on Sunday in both teams' ACC opener at the Newton Campus Lacrosse & Soccer Field in Newton, Massachusetts.
 
In the 17th minute, a Kieran Bracken Serra corner kick found Zalayet in the BC box, and the Cal forward headed the ball into the back of the net for the eventual game-winning goal. A short corner kick led to the second goal, with Noe Morales eventually redirecting a cross into the Eagles' box to Lukic, who tapped the ball into the net from close range to make the score 2-0.
 
Scouting the Bears

• Newcomer Luka Lukic – a graduate transfer from UC Riverside – was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week for the first week of the season after the forward scored three goals in his first two games as a Golden Bear, including the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory at UCLA on Aug. 24 and a brace in a 3-2 win at Saint Mary's in the Aug. 21 season opener
• The Belgrade, Serbia, native leads Cal in goals (4), points (8) and shots (13) and is tied with Cam Wilkerson (who scored the winner at Saint Mary's) and sophomore forward Malcolm Zalayet (who netted the winner at BC) for the lead in game-winning goals (1)
• Zalayet ranks second in goals (2) and points (4)
• Midfielder Kieran Bracken Serra paces the Bears in assists (3) and is tied with midfielder Cam Wilkerson (1 goal, 1 assist) for third in points (3 apiece)
• Goalkeeper Connor Lambe, another grad student, has played the first halves of all five of Cal's games and posted a 0.76 goals-against average
• Sophomore goalie Zack Andoh has notched a 1.26 GAA after starting the second halves of all five matches
• Senior defender Alfredo Ortiz was one of 15 players named to the ACC Preseason Watch List this summer, after ranking fourth in goals (3) and points (7) for the Bears in 2024; he has one goal and two points so far this season
• Ortiz also contributed one of Cal's biggest goals of the season in the ACC Championship opener last November in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, converting Cal's lone penalty kick of the season to give the Bears a 2-1 win over the host Tar Heels
• Leonard Griffin – who won the NCAA championship as a UCLA player in 2002 – was named the 2023 Pac-12 Coach of the Year last season and is in his fourth year as head coach of the Golden Bears
• A former professional player who was drafted No. 11 overall by the Chicago Fire in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, Griffin made MLS stops in Portland, Oregon, in Columbus, Ohio, and in Los Angeles with the Galaxy
• The Cal staff includes assistant coaches Ricardo Gutierrez – who worked with Griffin in the latter's previous stops at Grand Canyon and USF – and Jacob Wilson, a Cal men's soccer alumnus
• Henry Foulk – another Golden Bear alum and assistant coach – is in his 25th year of mentoring the goalkeepers at his alma mater
• Foulk and Cal have produced several talented goalies who have matriculated to the professional ranks, including current pros Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC, MLS), Drake Callender (Charlotte FC, MLS), David Bingham (Charlotte FC, MLS) and Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena FC, Italy Serie B)

 
Scouting the Crimson

• Harvard lost to Belmont 1-0 in its Aug. 29 season opener and defeated Providence 2-0 on Sept. 5 on the road
• The Crimson finished 4-7-4 (3-4-0 Ivy League) last season
• Defender Tim Langenbahn scored the game-winning goal against the Friars and is tied with forward Dylan Tellado – who scored the other goal against Providence – for team highs in goals and points (2 each)
• Forward Ben Kelly, forward Xavier Tanyi and midfielder Phoenix Wooten each has one assist
• Goalkeeper Lucian Wood has a 0.50 GAA
• Josh Shapiro is in his sixth season as Harvard's head coach

 
Klinsmann Named To USMNT Camp
Cal alum Jonathan Klinsmann was named to the U.S. Men's National Team training camp ahead of friendlies against South Korea last Sunday and Japan on Tuesday. He did not play in the 2-0 U.S. loss to South Korea. The son of former USMNT head coach and Germany star Juergen Klinsmann – who also previously coached South Korea – the 28-year-old Jonathan Klinsmann played 22 games for Cal from 2015-16. Formerly a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Klinsmann now plays for Cesena FC in the Italian Serie B.
 
Next Time
Cal plays its ACC home opener against No. 14 Duke on Sunday at 2 p.m. PT at Edwards Stadium.
 
Stay Posted
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