The sun sets at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, Va., as the Patriots take on William & Mary Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (Brian A. Hayum / Fourth Estate)
Marshall’s 3 goals in 21 minutes shock Patriots as game ends in tie
BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR
George Mason men’s soccer had a statement win slip through their fingers at George Mason Stadium Tuesday night, tying the fifteenth-ranked team in the country — Marshall University — after blowing a 3-0 lead in the second half.
The heartbreaking tie comes off a home-opening 3-1 win against in-state rival William & Mary Thursday, Aug. 27. The result is also a tough pill to swallow for the Patriots, as they will play their next four games on the road.
Fifth year Matias de Jesus opened the scoring on Tuesday in the fifth minute of the game with his second goal of the season. The midfielder capitalized on an errant back pass from Marshall’s defense with a curling finish in the bottom right corner of the net. The early goal set the tone for the first half, as Marshall collected 6 fouls, including two yellow cards, in the first 15 minutes.
Senior forward Kelly Janssen, one of Mason’s three preseason All-Conference selections, doubled the lead for the Patriots in the waning minutes of the second half, cutting through Marshall’s back line and finishing with a composed shot that found the bottom left corner of the net.
Going into the latter half with the lead for two consecutive games, an early second-half goal by senior midfielder Quentin Clain gave Mason a seemingly insurmountable 3-goal lead. Redshirt freshman John Balkey sent a perfectly weighted pass to a wide-open Clain, beating the Marshall keeper for the Patriots’ third goal of the night.
Marshall’s junior forward Nikita Pakhomov responded in style shortly after, scoring the goal of the night: a powerful shot from distance that beat Mason’s sophomore goalkeeper Angel Hernandez. With momentum on Marshall’s side, Pakhomov’s impressive goal was a sign of things to come.
Marshall earned a penalty kick with 12 minutes left in the game after sophomore forward Matthew Dean kicked Marshall senior forward Carl Romberg while attempting to clear a ball from the goal. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Jack Desroches, who came on to replace an injured Hernandez, saved the penalty shot to his bottom left, becoming the hero of the moment. The save from Desroches only delayed the inevitable, as Marshall scored their second and third goals shortly after to shock the Patriots.
Mason fans, who were left stunned after Marshall’s comeback-clinching third goal, got to breathe a sigh of relief when the referee immediately raised his hand, nullifying the goal for an offensive foul on Marshall. The decision went to video review, where the call was reversed, giving Marshall their game-tying moment back.
To the confusion of the crowd and viewers at home, the referee would go back to the monitor to review the play again. This time, to check for a potential offside on a Marshall player. The referee confirmed, once again, his decision to award Marshall the goal.
The drama wouldn’t end there. With 10 seconds left, Marshall’s sophomore defender Luka Lukic used all of his 6-foot-4 height to guide a header destined for the top right corner. Once again, Desroches came to the rescue, palming away what would’ve been the completion of a 4-goal, game-winning comeback for Marshall.
Mason fans let out a collective sigh of relief at full time, as the result leaves Mason with an up-and-down 1-1-1 record through the first three games of the season. Up next, the Patriots prepare to play West Virginia to start their four-game gauntlet on the road. Fans can tune in on ESPN+ Monday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.
