Bronx, N.Y. – (September 21, 2018) – Led by their senior captains
Janos Loebe and
Rashid Nuhu, the 25
th-ranked Fordham Rams gave the home fans at Jack Coffey Field exactly what they were looking for on Friday night: a win over Columbia in the home opener. Loebe netted the only goal of the game with Nuhu making a pair of stops, as the Rams topped the Lions, 1-0.
With the win, Fordham improves to 4-1-2 on the year, while Columbia fell to 3-2-1.
After
Sindri Ingimarsson's header was stopped in the 20
th minute by Columbia goalkeeper Dylan Castanheira, the Rams would breakthrough with the lone goal of the game on their next scoring chance in the 23
rd minute. Fordham's
Johannes Pieles put a through ball to
Janos Loebe on the right side of the box, which Loebe lined up and shot into the bottom left corner of the goal for his second goal of the season.
Columbia tried to even the game late in the first half on a corner kick by Francisco Agrest, but Fordham's
Rashid Nuhu made a diving save to the right post on a header by Will Todd to keep Fordham ahead 1-0 going into halftime.
The Lions had one more scoring chance to find the equalizer after Nuhu was called for a foul, after coming to challenge a loose ball. John Denis took the free kick for Columbia aiming just under the crossbar. However, Nuhu got both mitts on it for the save clinching the win for Fordham.
Nuhu finished the match with two saves for his second shutout of the season, while Castanheira had one for the Lions.
The Fordham men's soccer team will next be in action on Tuesday, September 25
th, when the Rams host Seton Hall for a 7:00 PM match on Jack Coffey Field.
