CHICAGO (Sept. 19, 2023) – It was an intense and rainy iteration of the Red Line Rivalry, but the Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team emerged victorious, 4-2, over DePaul Tuesday afternoon at Wish Field. With the win, the Ramblers claimed their third-straight victory over the Blue Demons and remain undefeated on the road this season.
"I think overall, I'm proud of the effort and proud that we got the result that we wanted," said head Loyola coach
Steve Bode. "I told the guys at halftime, 'we made it a little harder on ourselves than we needed to'. We obviously drew a penalty, didn't score it, and then they got a goal on the other end off the set piece. But that's what happens a lot of times in these rivalry games - unexpected things happen. You just got to keep rolling with it and keep trying to make things happen - put it behind you and play the next play,"
How it Happened
Loyola Chicago had an opportunity to take an early lead in the 7
th minute after a handball in the DePaul box sent
Marc Torrellas to attempt a penalty kick. His crack on-goal was saved though by Blue Demon keeper, Gandhi Cruz. Moments later in the 13
th minute, DPU struck first with a goal, taking a 1-0 lead over the 'Blers.
It didn't take long for Loyola to match the goal however as, in the 26
th minute,
Markus Maurer found a pass from teammate
John Gates and netted his fourth goal as a Rambler to even the score.
In the 31st minute, DePaul would again take a brief lead, 2-1, but a critical, second yellow card was issued to DePaul's Marek Gonda in the 33rd minute, forcing the Blue Demons to finish the match with just 10 on the pitch.
Later in the half,
Petar Janjic, fresh off back-to-back Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week plaudits, knotted the match, 2-2, after a clean pass from
Ethan Young with just moments left in the first frame.
After the halftime break, Loyola Chicago exploded from the kickoff as
John Gates, just 30 seconds into the half, scored the game-winner from
Oscar Dueso.
The Loyola backline, as they've done all season, limited the Blue Demons to just two second half shots while the Ramblers kept the ball in the attacking third.
Seven shots were fired off by the Maroon & Gold before, in the 83
rd minute,
Ben Bischof took home his first goal of 2023 to put a cherry on top of LUC's day.
Notes
- The 'Blers had a 20 (10) – 8 (2) advantage in shot attempts.
- The Ramblers' defensive unit was so effective, keeper Aidan Crawford did not need to make a single save.
- LUC led DePaul in corners, 7-3.
- Janjic's goal was his third in the past three matches.
- Bischof's second career goal was his first of the season.
- Young tallied his second assist of the year.
- Maurer and Janjic now lead the team in goals with four each.
Up Next
Loyola Chicago returns to A-10 play this Saturday as it hosts Duquesne at Loyola Soccer Park. Kick is slated for 3 p.m. at Hoyne Field with the match streaming live to ESPN+.
