No. 3 Kentucky dominates Portland to advance to NCAA soccer’s Sweet 16

Something strange was going on inside Rupp Arena on Sunday as Kentucky prepared to play VMI. There was a soccer game up on the big scoreboard.

So, basketball fans got a glimpse of what 1,831 who packed into The Bell already know: UK men’s soccer is good — No. 3 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament good.

And the Cats dominated their second-round tournament opponent, Portland, 4-0, to earn its first NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in program history.

“We’re a pretty dynamic team,” said forward JJ Williams, who had two goals and an assist. “We’re a complete team and definitely when you give us opportunities, especially at this point in the season, we’re really focusing on ‘we have to be able to punish (teams). We have to be able to finish games.’”

Kentucky (18-1-1) took a while to get rolling against a physical Portland team (12-4-3) that came into the tourney unseeded but ranked No. 21 in the final United Soccer Coaches poll. Portland defeated UCLA in the first round Thursday.

With just under five minutes before halftime, UK midfielder Kalil ElMedkhar capitalized on a turnover forced by teammate Sam Stockton to put the Cats up 1-0. Stockton quickly connected with forward Jason Reyes who placed a perfect ball through the defense to a sprinting ElMedkhar. He beat Portland keeper Kienen Weekes with a low shot underneath his charging slide.

Barely two minutes into the second half, UK’s Williams wowed the crowd with a steal deep in the Pilots’ territory. He then shed a couple of defenders as he danced in from the right corner of the box and buried a shot past Weekes into the net for a 2-0 lead.

UK ignited the crowd again and essentially ended the suspense as ElMedkhar took a one-touch pass from Williams in stride and blistered a ball underneath Weekes to make it 3-0 in the 59th minute. Williams would tack on a fourth goal on a breakaway eight minutes later for the final margin.

At the final horn, Kentucky had outshot Portland 19-5 with a shots-on-goal difference of 11-4. Stockton was credited with two assists and Nicolai Fremstad, Williams and Reyes each had an assist apiece. UK goalkeeper Enrique Facusse recorded four saves in his nation-leading 14th shutout of the season.

The game got a bit chippy at times with Portland earning four yellow cards, but none of the resulting free kicks resulted in significant chances.

UK’s high seed earned them a bye into the second round and gets it another home match next weekend — 7 p.m. Saturday — in the third round.

Kentucky will host Lipscomb, which defeated No. 14 Central Florida 1-0 in overtime on Sunday.

It’ll make for a busy Thanksgiving week.

“It’s just really, really great to be able to combine having my family with the soccer family,” said Coach Johan Cedergren, who is in his fifth NCAA appearance in seven seasons at UK. “To be able to be together on Thanksgiving getting prepared for a very, very big weekend is a wonderful feeling.”

UK defeated Lipscomb 3-2 in Nashville earlier this season in overtime, but given the Cats’ history in big games this season, including wins over No. 4 Louisville and No. 2 Indiana, the Cats feel ready for anyone.

“We will play anyone in the country,” Cedergren said before he knew his team’s next opponent. “It’s just for us to make sure we play up to our level. Today is a day where we played up to our level.”

Next match

Lipscomb at No. 3 Kentucky

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

What: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

This story was originally published November 18, 2018 at 6:33 PM.