GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's soccer team (3-1-4, 1-0 SoCon) stormed back in the second half to knock off the Liberty Flames (2-4-1, 0-1-0 SoCon) in The Southern Conference (SoCon) opener for both sides, earning a late 2-1 win at UNCG Soccer Stadium.
Entering the break trailing 1-0 after an errant pass was pounced on by Liberty, Head Coach
Chris Rich's side got second half goals from freshmen
Malo Jungling and
Mathis Robinand to turn the game around for a 1-0 start in SoCon play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Flames struck first after just five minutes, Pablo Matavele jumping on a back pass and firing past UNCG goalkeeper
Seth Wilson on the first shot of the game. Liberty dropped deep to defend and held the home side at bay, the Spartans' first shot on goal of the game coming after a 41-minute wait.
Overall, the first half saw just five shots as UNCG pushed for an equalizer but was unable to break through Liberty's line.
Steven Hernandez had the lone attempt on target in the half for the Blue & Gold.
Momentum swung immediately out of the break for Spartans, however. A turnover forced by the UNCG press sprung
Filipe Matos down the right flank, his low cross smashed home by an oncoming Jungling at the top of the 18-yard box in the 47th minute.
The Spartans piled forward, now searching for a winner.
Pablo Torre put two efforts around the 70th minute narrowly wide, while Hernandez stung the hands of Liberty goalkeeper Dan Rose with a close effort in the 73rd.
Keaviano Francis saw a low effort collected by Rose in the 81st minute of action.
But the Spartan pressure would yield the second goal. Collecting an attempted corner clearance on the right wing,
Mohammed Sumaila launched an in-swinging cross back into the back in search of a UNCG head. Robinand arrived first, the freshman center back diving in to nod home his first collegiate tally in the 84th minute.
Neither team recorded any further shots the rest of the way, the Blue & Gold holding on to open conference play with a home win.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- UNCG outshot the Flames 13-3, including a 10-2 advantage in the second to power the comeback.
- Saturday marked the second straight game that the Spartans limited an opponent to just one shot on target
- Jungling joins Caleb Borneo as the second Spartan this season to score in both of their first two starts for the program.
- Robinand is the fourth Spartan to notch their first collegiate goal this season, joining Jungling, Mason Dancy, and Bautista Schmidt.
- Hernandez led all players in shots with four, followed by both Torre and Robinand with three apiece.
- Sumaila's assist was his first this season and third for his career. Matos' helper on Saturday was his second this season.
UP NEXT
SoCon play continues for the Blue & Gold as the team heads to Macon, Georgia, to take on Mercer on Sept. 26. Kickoff against the Bears from Betts Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+.
