Gutierrez's Last-Minute Goal Wins It, 1-0

Wednesday, October 21

Irvine, Calif.

6:00 PM

UC Irvine

9-5-2, 3-1-1

Cal Poly

6-5-5, 1-1-2

Team	1	2	Final F
Cal Poly	0	0	0
UC Irvine	0	1	1

Elijah Juge takes the ball in a 2025 match in Anteater Stadium

Photo by: Robert Huskey

October 21, 2026 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Alex Roberts-Croteau

IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine men's soccer finished their non-conference match with Cal Poly in style scoring the game-winner in the final minute to win, 1-0, in Anteater Stadium

Battling The Elements

The rain had a huge say in Wednesday's match raining throughout warmups and the entire first half of play.
Both sides were already looking to play things relatively safe ahead of important conference matches this weekend testing the waters through the early going.
A huge opportunity arose in the eighth minute as a ball was fed ahead to Shane Kaemerle all by himself on a breakaway, but a superb save by Ben Oetman kept everything square
Cal Poly followed with a few chances including a shot on goal that Scott Williams snuffed out in the 24th minute
Zac Smuck added one of his own in the 27th minute saved to lead to a corner kick

Rivalry Renewed

The two yearly combatants formerly of the Big West turned things up a notch looking to come away with a victory in the second half. The rain slowed quite a bit in favor of some strong winds in the final 45 minutes.
- One chance was altered by the wind as Williams misjudged his jump on a long set piece that flew behind him and just wide of the goal in the 59th minute.
Action continued mostly in the middle third as the half played on with more cautions dished out for either side.
Bobby Jacobs nearly got the scoring going catching the keeper off his line and fired from a tough angle at a wide open net missing long in the 78th minute.
The 'Eaters continued to gain momentum down the stretch including a Shane Kaemerle shot on goal through traffic in the 87th minute.
As the final minute ticked down, the Anteaters found a path and a sparkling goal
- Matthew Miranda served a ball up from near midfield and James Arteaga headed a ball along from its peak to the on-running Isaiahs Gutierrez in the box on the left wing, and his finish rolled between the diving keeper and far post to make it 1-0 with just 26 seconds to play.

UC Irvine 1, Cal Poly 0

Gutierrez's goal is the third of his career and second registering as a game-winner. He's now recorded one goal and two assists in all three of his collegiate seasons
Assists to Arteaga and Miranda give them each an assist in consecutive matches. For Miranda, he's now up to two this season and in his career, and fellow freshman Arteaga now has four and eight total points.
Scott Williams in goal collected his sixth shutout on the year and the team's seventh finishing with two saves.
UCI has shutout opponents in four consecutive matches, a first for the program since 2010.
The game-winner in the final minute is the first to decide a match since Jake Means did so twice in 2022, both to even the match in the final minute.
UCI finished ahead all along the stat sheet from shots, 10-8, to corner kicks, 4-2, to shots on goal, 4-2.
The victory keeps UCI unbeaten at home vs. Cal Poly for a ninth straight match going 7-0-2 in that span that dates back to 2011.

The win boosts UC Irvine's record to 9-5-2 overall this year unbeaten in six consecutive. They record to the Big West slate with its final match to earn points coming Saturday, October 24 vs. UC Santa Barbara. Kickoff is 6:00 p.m. with a ceremony celebrating the seniors prior to the match.

AT THE DEATH!! ???? Isa delivers the winner for his dad's birthday in the final minute!! #RipEm https://t.co/mROhn269Fr
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) October 22, 2026