T&T national youth team hopeful Samory Powder scored a decisive second-half item as the University of Detroit Mercy men's football team rallied for a 2-1 home victory Friday over visiting Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in the Horizon League in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
The game was played on a windy but sunny day from Titan Field, the first outdoor men's football game for the Titans since 2019.
The Titans trailed IUPUI, 1-0, after the opening half with the Jaguars scoring off a curling free-kick from just outside of the box, that seemed aided by the wind gusts.
Detroit Mercy were the aggressors in the second half offensively and tied the match up in the 62nd minute as a long throw-in from Ryan Halloran went to the far post and was on target and found the head of Demetri Pliakos who knocked the ball past IUPUI goalkeeper Lucas Morefield and into the back of the net to level the match at 1-1.
Just minutes later, the Titans earned the lead off freshman forward and younger brother of T&T senior team and Real Salt Lake striker Noah Powder's second goal of the season.
The New Jersey-born Powder was played in on a long pass by defender Jake Poorman and then did the rest, juking an IUPUI defender and sending a rocket to the far side of the net, that tucked inside the post.
A graduate of Baker Web Academy and past player for New York Red Bulls on their Under-14 team in 2015-16 before playing with the Players Development Academy on the Under-17/U-19 from 2017-18.
Powder nearly scored again just minutes later, but his shot attempt inside the box deflected off an IUPUI defender and away from the goal.
The Titan defence was up to the task the rest of the way, only allowing one corner kick and no shots of any kind after Detroit Mercy went ahead, 2-1.
Up next for Powder, who was named the “Men’s Titan of the Week", and his team-mates is a clash on the road at Green Bay in Wisconsin on Thursday.
A Business Major student, the younger Powder also competed in club football most recently with the Portland Timbers Academy on the U-19 team in 2018-19.
