The Hofstra Pride men’s soccer team suffered their first defeat of the season as they fell to the Farleigh Dickinson University Knights, 1-0, at University Stadium in Teaneck, New Jersey, on Monday, Aug. 28. The Pride dropped to 1-1 and lost their first away fixture of 2023 after only losing two away games last season.
The decisive goal arrived in the 73rd minute, as FDU forward Tony Gomez intercepted a pass from Hofstra midfielder Albert Kang, which turned into a counterattack. Hofstra defender Pierce Infuso slipped to the ground as he attempted to make a block which led to a one-on-one situation that Gomez was not going to lose as he found the back of the net with ease. It was FDU’s first win over Hofstra since 2009. The reigning Northeast Conference champions get back-to-back wins to kick off their campaign.
It was Hofstra’s first goal scored against them this year. Goalkeeper Wessel Speel, who was named Coastal Athletic Player (CAA) of the Week for his shutout against Marist College, wasn’t able to keep out the chance that was given away by his own teammates in a moment of clumsiness at the back.
One change was made to the starting lineup that took to the pitch in their previous match as center-back Gabriel Pacheco made his first start for Hofstra ahead of Bjorn van Gorkom. The Brazilian-born defender played all 90 minutes. However, it was his experienced counterpart with the crucial error as Infuso failed to stay on his feet. It’s an error he will want to put behind him as soon as possible in the early stages of the new season.
The visitors outranked the home side 13-5 in total shots, 4-2 in shots-on-goal and had five more corners. The Pride had more of the ball throughout the match and passed around to control the flow, increasing their number of chances going forward. Their inability to take advantage of their opportunities was what head coach Richard Nuttall spoke about in part at his postgame interview when the Pride beat Marist by a slim 1-0 margin a week ago. Now, it has cost them a match.
The Pride had a fair number of chances to find the scoresheet, amplifying the pressure in the final quarter-of-an-hour. Knights’ goalkeeper Spencer King had four total saves on the night, all of which took place in the final 15 minutes. His toughest test was a Teddy Baker strike in the 76th minute as he dove left to deny his opponent. It’s a reality check for Richard Nuttall’s side who seek a third consecutive CAA title. Finishing chances will certainly be atop the agenda at practice in the days to come.
The road trip for the Pride continues this week as they travel to Rhode Island to take on the Providence College Friars. Kickoff from Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium is scheduled for Friday, Sep. 1., at 7 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Marc Levine
