CHICAGO - A strong defensive first half wasn't enough for Loyola Chicago, which conceded three second-half goals in a 3-0 loss to VCU on Saturday afternoon at Loyola Soccer Park.
"Credit to VCU. I'd say they're a very good team — a very good footballing team with some really good players," said Loyola Chicago Head Coach
Steve Bode. "The way they keep the ball and the tempo they play at certainly overwhelmed us at times. So credit to them; they were the better team today. At halftime, at 0-0, we regrouped and had some good moments early in the second half, but we couldn't sustain it enough to create enough chances."
How it Happened
The Ramblers (4-4-6, 1-2-3 A-10) battled evenly through the opening 45 minutes, keeping the Rams off the scoreboard while creating several chances of their own.
Petar Janjic put a shot on frame before halftime.
VCU (5-5-4, 2-2-2) broke through in the 58th minute when Sulaiman Abdul-Mateen finished from close range off a feed from Pedro Salmon. Abdul-Mateen doubled the lead in the 72nd minute with an unassisted strike, and Hakim Musabbah capped the scoring in the 84th minute.
Goalkeeper
Gabe Velasco made five saves for Loyola, including a penalty-kick stop in the 82nd minute. The Ramblers played the final minutes a man down after a red card was issued for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.
Game Notes
- Goalkeeper Gabe Velasco made five saves, including a penalty-kick stop.
- Antonio Pinto led Loyola with three shots, one of them on goal.
- Loyola held a 7-6 advantage in corner kicks.
- Loyola welcomed home many former Ramblers on Alumni Day.
Up Next
The Ramblers host No. 20 Saint Louis on Senior Day next Saturday (Oct. 25). First touch is set for 3 p.m. with live coverage provided by ESPN+.
