For the first time in less than two years, Texas football beat Texas A&M. After a slow start in the SEC with a tie and one loss in their first two games, the Longhorns won their second straight conference game with a 2-0 victory.
After the first five minutes, the match turned unstable. The Aggies came out in a formation similar to the Longhorns, keeping the center compact. Both teams lined up with four defenders and three central midfielders, leading to congestion in the center of the field and many missed passes. This left star senior midfielder Lexi Missimo unable to receive the ball in the space she created for her team.
“In preparation, we give them an idea of how to handle whatever happens,” head coach Angela Kelly said. “Texas A&M had some different looks tonight, but we had a solution.”
Texas A&M wanted to stay tight, but the plan fell apart when freshman forward Amalia Villarreal was shown too much space and was taken advantage of. Standing about 30 yards outside the goal, the forward beat three defenders while switching between two defenders midway through, putting him in a one-on-one situation with freshman goaltender Sidney Fuller. Villarreal then slotted the ball past Fuller and found the back of the net in the 8th minute for his fourth goal of the season.
“She had a great night…she’s a great player,” Kelly said. “We’re really excited to have all of our freshmen here and we’re really excited about the future of Texas football.”
While senior goaltender Mia Justus and her defense prevented the Aggies from finding success in the final third, Villarreal stole the show again in the first period. Placing the ball at her feet outside the 18-yard box, the freshman slipped the ball past two Aggie defenders and found senior midfielder Ashlyn Miller. The senior poked the ball around Fuller and fired a shot into an empty net, gifting Villarreal with his fifth assist of the season. She contributed to eight goals and scored a total of 13 points.
The Longhorns held a 2-0 lead going into the break, but just four minutes into the second period, the Longhorn lead was under serious threat. Sophomore forward Taylor Jernigan broke free inside the 18-yard box and third-year defender Brianna Thompson made a final tackle, stopping the Aggies’ best attempt at a clean sheet.
Time was lost as Thompson remained on the ground with an injury and referee Corey Rockwell reviewed the tackle and issued a penalty. Thankfully for the Longhorns, even though the Aggies had 11 shots in the second period, Thompson made the ball at the right time and was able to continue the game and the rest of the defense for a shutout victory. It became clear.
“Our backline and team defense were great and I saw a lot of grit. I’m really proud of our team,” Kelly said.
The Longhorns will play the Aggies for the first time since Nov. 11, 2022, when they met in the NCAA Tournament. Miller also scored in the game, and the Longhorns won 3-1.
“We haven’t played against each other much since we’ve been here, but it’s a big rivalry,” Kelly said. “That’s what all the fans love to talk about. When there’s a trophy on the line, you’re excited to win it.”
The Longhorns return to the Gainesville soccer field Friday to take on the Florida Gators at 6 p.m.
