On Sunday, the University of the District of Columbia men’s soccer team made history by clinching its first-ever East Coast Conference Championship title. UDC’s historic win came after a 2-1 victory over Molloy University Lions on John A. Darcy Field at the RVC Sports Complex.

The match began with an early goal from UDC’s Ignacio Lopez. Just three minutes into the game, Lopez scored a free kick, putting UDC ahead 1-0 at halftime. In the second half, Molloy equalized with a header from Steph Maurice in the 57th minute.

The teams played through regulation and overtime without any additional goals. With only nine seconds left in the first overtime period, UDC’s Mustafa Tahir scored the winning goal with a header off a corner kick, securing the Firebirds’ 2-1 victory.

In addition to Tahir’s golden goal, the contributions of Ignacio Lopez, who scored the opening goal and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, and goalkeeper Giovanni Llamas, who made four crucial saves, were instrumental in securing the championship. With this victory, UDC earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, signaling just their second appearance since 2017.

This win was not just about lifting a trophy; it represented a remarkable turnaround for UDC. After starting the season with a challenging record of 1-5-2, the Firebirds formed a seven-game unbeaten streak culminating in this historic championship run. The Firebirds are the first-ever No. 6 seed to capture the ECC title. They overcame strong opponents along the way, including Roberts Wesleyan as the No. 3 seed and Mercy as the No. 2 seed.