BRONX, N.Y. – The Fordham men's soccer team kicked off its 2023 season in style on Thursday night, taking down Sacred Heart, 3-0, at Jack Coffey Field.
The win was the most lopsided for Fordham in a season opener since 1987 when the Rams trounced Iona, 6-0.
Four Germans appeared in Fordham's first starting XI and all four etched their names on the scoresheet.
Kai Griese netted a goal and assisted on another,
Timo Hummrich buried the game-winning penalty kick in the 28
th minute, Florian Deltioglu headed home a late insurance marker and
Louis Lehr picked up an assist in his Fordham debut.
Sigfus Arnason, a graduate transfer from Yale, tallied his 12
th career assist in his first game as a Ram.
Also making his Fordham debut was graduate goalkeeper
Carter Abbott, who made four saves to record his ninth career clean sheet.
Graduate transfers
Liam Salmon,
Luis Puchol and
Harper Cook also cracked the starting lineup in their Fordham debuts and played 65 or more minutes.
Fordham came out on the front foot, outshooting Sacred Heart, 4-1, in the first 17 minutes of action.
The Rams struck first in the 28
th minute, as
Daniel D'Ippolito drew a foul in the box to set up a penalty kick try for Hummrich. Sacred Heart keeper Andrew Hammersley guessed correctly, but the Preseason All-Atlantic 10 selection still buried his chance to provide the only lead the Rams would need.
Leading 1-0 at the half, Fordham applied tremendous pressure in the opening minutes of the latter stanza, taking each of the period's first seven shots. Three of those chances were turned aside by Hammersley.
The Rams broke through in the 68
th minute following a beautiful sequence down the left side. Possessing the ball nearly 40 yards from the cage, Arnason played a short pass to Lehr, who deftly play a long ball down the sideline. With a step on his defender, Arnason sent a masterful cross in front to the foot of Griese, who touched it past the keeper and put the Rams on top by a pair.
Griese was denied a brace in the 83
rd minute, as Hammersley turned aside a breakaway chance at point-blank range. Instead, he had to settle for an assist. On the ensuring corner, Griese placed a ball in the perfect spot for Deletioglu, who headed it home for his first of the season.
On the game, shots were 18-10 in favor of Fordham.
Fordham will return to action on Sunday, traveling to Loretto, Pa., for a showdown with Saint Francis. The contest will be streamed live on NEC Front Row.
