Alabama held on to the trophy after a thrilling 4-3 win over Auburn in the Iron Bowl of Soccer on Friday. Two goals for the Crimson Tide in the final nine minutes secured the comeback.
Taking the field in pink instead of crimson, the soccer team put on a show supporting people with breast cancer.
Auburn grabbed the lead early by slamming a shot into the top right side of the net, just out of goalkeeper Madi Munguia’s reach.
Forward Gianna Paul then went deep into Tiger territory, going one-on-one with a defender. Paul shook the defender and sniped the cross bar, resulting in a review. After the review, the goal was confirmed, tying the match.
Melina Rebimbas subbed in and snatched the lead for Alabama after a lengthy battle inside the box. Both teams fought for the ball, and in the chaos Rebimbas found an opening and slammed it in.
The Crimson Tide led 2-1 heading into halftime.
Auburn’s Jordyn Crosby tied the match 10 minutes into the half, securing a loose ball inside the box and arcing it far into the net.
The Tigers then regained the lead. A shot heading for the goal grazed Maison Smith’s forearm near her elbow, resulting in a called handball and penalty kick to follow. Erin Flurey lined up against Munguia and buried another penalty kick for her fourth this season.
Rebimbas said that the team huddled up and established their mentality: “Whatever happens right here right now we’re going to come back and win this.”
The Crimson Tide put serious pressure on Auburn late in the game, and the tide turned in Alabama’s favor with 8:45 left on the clock.
A quick pass from Larkin Thomason to Rebimbas inside the box found the goal wide open, and Auburn’s lead vanished.
The Crimson Tide had newfound momentum and refused to let up with five minutes on the clock.
Rebimbas ran away with the ball and the Tiger’s defense tailed her. She passed the ball to Paul for a textbook assist. Paul then nutmegged the goalie and slipped the ball into the net, continuing her streak with goals in back-to-back matches upon her return to the pitch.
With the Crimson Tide once again on top and two minutes on the clock, the offense began its victory lap, passing the ball in a triangle on Auburn’s side of the field. While the defenders tried and failed to stop it, Alabama shaved a minute and a half off the clock. Thomason and other Alabama players smiled while this was going on.
Spirits were high in Tuscaloosa, and the Crimson Tide was going to win.
When the final horn blew and the score was finalized at 4-3, the Crimson Tide’s bench rushed the field with Kiley Kukan hoisting the trophy up.
“Our players showed so much heart tonight. Down 0-1 early and then 2-3 late, [and] we kept fighting and believing,” head coach Wes Hart said. “I loved the mentality of the group after equalizing late. It would have been easy to settle for the tie, but our players were hungry for the win.”
Both Rebimbas and Paul scored braces, logging the only goals for Alabama. Hart praised both after the game, highlighting that Rebimbas came in as a sub during the game. Paul set another record for the Crimson Tide, and she is now the all-time leader in career points at Alabama.
“It is so sweet to keep that Iron Bowl here in Tuscaloosa,” Rebimbas said. “We’ve won it six out of the last eight years, and we have to take pride in that.”
The Crimson Tide now heads to Arkansas to face the No. 6 Razorbacks on Thursday. Kick off is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT.
