Brian Hernandez battles with a UNH defender for the soccer ball trying to pass it up the field.
Matt Woolverton
2
Winner New Hampshire UNH (1-0-0)
0
Boston University BOSTONU (0-1-0)
Winner
New Hampshire UNH
(1-0-0)
2
Final
0
Boston University BOSTONU
(0-1-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
New Hampshire UNH 0 2 2
Boston University BOSTONU 0 0 0

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

No. 20 New Hampshire Strikes Late to Defeat Men's Soccer, 2-0

BOSTON – Following 82 minutes of a scoreless battle, 20th-nationally ranked New Hampshire struck twice to pull away late and defeat the Boston University men's soccer team, 2-0, on Thursday night at Nickerson Field in the season opener for both programs.

A graduate student who spent the past three seasons at FC Eintracht Norderstedt in Germany, Johann von Knebel led the three-time defending America East champion Wildcats (1-0) to victory with an assist in the 83rd minute and insurance strike at 87:08. Starting in his debut for the Terriers, Florida International junior transfer Francesco Montali made five saves to keep the Terriers within striking distance.

"I'm really proud of the group," said head coach Kevin Nylen following tonight's performance. "UNH is as good of a side that we're going to see on opening night and as good of a team that we'll play all year. I'm proud of the guys in terms of the fight and the commitment that they had from start to finish. We gave ourselves a really good chance to stay in the game. We had to defend deeper and we had to defend at times maybe in longer spells, but tonight was a great starting point as we move into the 2021 season."

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Though the Terriers did not put a shot on goal, they made several dangerous runs into the box, starting in the first minute with a cross from graduate student Peter Kargbo that set up Clemson sophomore transfer Matthew Boberg's shot that went wide left.
  • UNH put Montali to work in the fourth minute, as he stepped up big with two saves.
  • After winning a goal kick near midfield, the Wildcats pushed the ball up and found Paul Mayer free, as he slipped through two defenders while sprinting toward the ball, but Montail came off his line to stop the shot attempt and the ensuing rebound shot.
  • Senior Gianluca Arlotti had a good look at net with a hard shot from 25 yards out following a failed clear attempt but a UNH defender used his upper body to stop the ball.
  • The Wildcats had five corner kicks in the first half that came up empty against BU's defense, as the game remained scoreless entering the locker room.
  • Montali was in perfect position to stop a header following another UNH corner at 51:56 and later made a kick save during a counter attack at 69:49. 
  • After the teams traded runs at each other's box, UNH finally broke through in the 83rd minute by playing the ball toward the left corner flag and watching Tola Showunmi convert on a give-and-go with von Knebel.
  • von Knebel put the game away five minutes later by making a run into the box and scoring off a forward-leaning service pass from Mayer. 
  • With one minute remaining, BU tried to avoid the shutout with back-to-back corners, but senior Florian Rieder's jumping header went over the crossbar.
GAME NOTES
  • Boberg led BU with two shot attempts, while UNH had five men attempt two en route to a 14-4 advantage in shots. 
  • Five Terriers started in their debut, including a pair of freshmen (Daniel Rosario, Brian Hernandez) and junior Colin Innes, who had to sit out this past spring after playing for Kentucky last fall.
  • The Wildcats owned an 8-2 lead in corner kicks and moved to 22-23-9 all-time against the Terriers. 
  • Formally introduced as the Terriers' sixth head coach back on Jan. 23, 2020, Nylen finally had the opportunity to coach his first fall game.
  • Nylen moved to 1-1 in season openers at BU following his 3-0 win at Patriot League foe Colgate on March 13 that kicked off the delayed 2020 campaign.  
UP NEXT
  • The Terriers will next Boston College on Monday (Aug. 30) for a 5:30 p.m. start on the ACC Network.
  • BU dropped a 1-0 decision in the last meeting in 2019 at Nickerson Field and will be seeking its first victory at BC since pulling out a 1-0 decision in 2012. 
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