Solabarrieta Tallies First Career Point as Men's Soccer Hands Lafayette First Home Loss 1-0
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EASTON, PA. – Avenging last season's overtime loss, University at Albany men's soccer (4-2-1) downed Lafayette (3-2-3) 1-0 in Easton, Pa., on Tuesday night. Afonso Pinheiro scored the game-winner from freshman Nico Solabarrieta in the 55th minute.
“We had a good performance on the road tonight,” said head coach Trevor Gorman. “We played well in their half and did a good job of controlling the tempo of the game. We're looking for to the next challenge at St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday.”
Pinheiro picked up where he left off in a two-goal performance last game in the 13th minute, shooting on target. Lafayette goalkeeper Brad Seeber saved his shot to keep the score tied 0-0.
On a Lafayette turnover deep in its own end, Philip Persson connected with Pinheiro who fired near post. The sophomore again had his attempt saved mid-way through the period.
The Danes and Leopards played keep-away through much of the tail end of the first half, trading clears to midfield followed by turnovers. The teams combined for just eight total shots, only three of which were on goal.
Early in the second half, Nico Solabarrieta was fouled in the right corner to set up a free kick. Persson served up a good ball, but the Danes couldn't find the back of the net. UAlbany came out with the early momentum in the first five minutes.
Solabarrieta picked the pocket of a Lafayette player in the midfield, and turned to find Pinheiro streaking up the middle. Pinheiro adjusted his position around the Leopards defender to fire low at the 12-yard mark for a 1-0 lead. The goal marked Pinheiro's fifth of the season, becoming the team's leading goal scorer thus far. Solabarrieta picked up his first career point for the Purple & Gold.
With the lead in hand, UAlbany maintained possession for the next 10 minutes. Pedro Espindola, Pinheiro and Solabarrieta teamed up for quality looks, but the Danes kept a 1-0 lead.
As the Danes gradually tired out the Lafayette back line, the Leopards made ample substitutions to keep up with the pace of play in their own end. Pinheiro, Moosah Khanat and Persson applied pressure up front to force the Lafayette defense to clear out of its own end.
The clock winding down, the Leopards made one last push into the Purple & Gold end. After earning a series of corner kicks, Bernardo Mattos blocked a shot four yards from goal. Moments later, Danny Vitiello caught the ball off a Leopards corner and punted it away. Vitiello earned his second shutout win of the season.
The Great Danes handed Lafayette its first loss at home in 2015, as well as its first defeat in regulation time. With four wins, UAlbany has reached its victory total from 2014 in just seven games. Gorman's squad is now undefeated in five of its last six games.
The Purple & Gold (4-2-1) visits the undefeated St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers (5-0-2) on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
