DEKALB, Ill. – Joe Hernandez (Bensenville, Ill./York Community) scored just 81 seconds into the contest and
Katai Mukuka (Lusaka, Zambia) netted the winner 29 seconds after UIC had tied the contest as the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team downed the Flames, 2-1, on Sunday night (Aug. 30) at the NIU Soccer Complex.
"Both teams came in with similar starts to the season, so this was a big game for both teams," said NIU head coach
Ryan Swan. "Joe (Hernandez) scores a fantastic goal early on to put us in a really good position. Later on in the game things got a little hectic, we lost control of the game and UIC was moving it pretty well. When you give up a goal, to respond like we did, we had a couple of looks at the back post, so Katai (Mukuka) getting there and finishing off Stevie's (Ljubicic) cross was brilliant. Then it was just about gutting it out, we weren't great in the last 20 minutes from a technical perspective, but work rate and desire to win the game got us over the line."
NIU (2-2-0) was in front in the second minute as
Jakub Drazek (Des Plaines, Ill./Elk Grove) clipped a ball from midfield into the run of Hernandez. The Bensenville, Ill., native took one touch around a defender before tucking a shot inside the far post from just outside the six-yard box to give the Huskies an early lead.
Just before the half-hour mark
Vance Sheffield (West Linn, Ore./La Salle Catholic College Prep) nearly doubled the lead for the hosts. Mukuka chipped a ball into the box just beyond the penalty spot and Sheffield rose highest, but his header went just high of the UIC goal.
Moments later, a low cross from Mukuka found the feet of
Osagie Omoregie (London, England) whose shot was well held by UIC goalkeeper Owen Cornell down to his left as NIU took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
In the 59th minute, the Flames were level on a goal by Antonio Delgado. Sebastian Khoury cut in from the left side near the top of the 18-yard box and fired a shot that forced a save from NIU goalkeeper
Cayden Crawford (Plain City, Ohio/Ohio Connections Academy) but the rebound fell kindly to Delgado who slipped a shot underneath an outstretched Crawford to tie the game at 1-1.
Less than 30 seconds later the Huskies were back in front.
Stevan Ljubicic (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) curled a cross from the left side toward the back post where Mukuka found just enough space to get a foot on it and slide a shot past Cornell to put the Huskies back in front.
UIC (0-3-1) had a great chance to tie the game again in the 63rd minute as Semin Razman found himself all alone in front of goal but Crawford raced off his line to make an outstanding save.
The visitors continued to press for the equalizer as Crawford made six saves in the final 30 minutes, finishing with 11 in the contest, to preserve the victory for the Huskies.
"He came in during the spring and has brought a mentality and a drive to the team that he doesn't like to lose," Swan said of Crawford. "He holds high standards for the team, and he came up huge for us in several moments. He had a great save on a 1-v-1, he came and grabbed crosses, he was outstanding."
NIU will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 5, when the Huskies travel to Eastern Illinois. Kickoff in Charleston is scheduled for 3 p.m.
