Bronx, N.Y. – Following an unexpected postponement, the Fordham men's soccer team gets back to work with a pair of Atlantic 10 matches this week, as the Rams host Duquesne on Wednesday night at 7:00 PM, while playing at La Salle on Saturday at 1:00 PM.
Fordham remained at 3-4-3 overall, 0-1-1 in the Atlantic 10, following a postponement on Sunday against Massachusetts, so the Rams will be itching to get back on the field against one of the hottest teams in the conference, the Duquesne Dukes. The Dukes enter Wednesday's action having not allowed a goal since September 9
th, a string of seven consecutive shutouts. They have gone 4-0-3 in those seven contests. La Salle, who plays VCU on Wednesday, enters this week with a 6-5-0 record, 1-1 in the conference. They are led by the scoring tandem of Matt Robinson (2 G, 5 A) and Colman Kennedy (4 G, 1 A), who both have a team-high nine points this season.
GAME COVERAGE:
Wednesday – Duquesne at Fordham - 7:00 PM -
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Saturday - Fordham at La Salle – 1:00 PM –
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SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 18
th meeting between Fordham and Duquesne since the Rams joined the Atlantic 10 in 1995. The teams have an even split in the all-time series at 8-8-1. Last season, Fordham came away with a 2-1 victory at Duquesne on the strength of two goals from forward
Jannik Loebe. For Fordham and La Salle, this is the 30
th meeting between the schools since 1984. La Salle holds a 15-10-4 edge in the series, however Fordham has won each of the last two meetings, which includes a 3-0 win at Jack Coffey Field last season, where
Janos Loebe scored twice and
Jannik Loebe scored once.
LAST TIME OUT (10/5): It was a wild, strange men's soccer game at Baujan Field last Wednesday night between the Fordham Rams and Dayton Flyers. From a goal in the first minute to a saved penalty kick to six cards, the match saw a little bit of everything, but in the end, Dayton came away with a 2-1 victory over Fordham.
It only took 48 seconds for Dayton to get on the scoreboard, as Kennedy Nwabia headed in a corner kick by Rok Taneski for his second goal of the season from eight yards out.
Fordham almost knotted the game at one in the 21
st minute, when
Eric Ohlendorf headed a cross to the top left corner of goal, but Dayton goalkeeper Federico Barrios got a hand on it and pushed it away.
As the game headed toward halftime, the game turned a touch chippy, as six cards were handed out over a six-minute stretch.
Janos Loebe
Things would settle down at the start of the second half, until Fordham's
Patrick Thees was called for a foul in the box, awarding a penalty kick to Dayton in the 65
th minute. Taneski stepped to the penalty spot and shot right, but Fordham goalkeeper
Rashid Nuhu was right there to deflect the shot away, keeping the game at 1-0.
However, Dayton would not be denied a second goal, as they would convert on an opportunity in the 69
th minute. Michael Frasca got loose on a breakaway that Nuhu came out to challenge on. The ball deflected away to the left to Nwabia, who scored into the open net. Fordham argued that the play was offside or a foul may have occurred near Nuhu, but the goal stood, giving the Flyers a 2-0 lead.
Fordham got back into the game in the 80
th minute, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Connor DeFilippis made a cross from the left side to
Janos Loebe, who fired a shot just inside the right post for his third goal of the season.
The Rams pushed the attack over the final ten minutes, earning a pair of corner kick opportunities, but were unable to convert, leaving Fordham with a 2-1 loss.
In net, Barrios finished with four saves in the win, while Nuhu had three stops in the loss.
WHO'S NEXT: Following this week's action, the Fordham men's soccer team will play twice next week, as they will host Lehigh on Tuesday, October 18
th, at 7:00 PM, while hosting Davidson on Sunday, October 23
rd, as the second half of a soccer doubleheader.
