Eagles soccer team drops close 1-0 decision
Special to the Breeze
Before a record crowd of 3,042, FGCU’s men’s soccer team held its own against the New York City FC in the Major League Soccer club’s preseason opener Sunday at FGCU.
The Eagles lost 1-0 to the professionals without the presence of three key figures from its Atlantic Sun regular season championship winning team that since have begun their own professional careers.
“It was one of the best moments in program history playing in front of 3,000 fans, playing with the likes of Pirlo, Lampard and Villa and with Patrick Vieira on the sideline. It doesn’t get much better than that,” said Eagles coach Bob Butehorn. “I was really pleased with how well the guys played and I think they were too. They were surprised at the level we were able to play at, especially with the group of seniors we lost at the end of last season.”
The match was played in two-40 minute halves. The Eagles were put under early pressure when the visitors earned a corner six minutes into the match. Italian star Andrea Pirlo went to take the corner, but the ball was cleared away by an Eagles defense that nearly held NYCFC scoreless for the entire 80 minutes.
Miguel Jaime had FGCU’s first scoring opportunity 10 minutes in when the junior gathered the ball at the edge of the box and had his shot sail over the bar.
Goalkeeper Sawyer Jackman was called upon to make the first of multiple key saves in the first half, denying David Villa’s bit to put NYCFC in front. Four minutes later, the Eagles sophomore kept Kwadwo Poku off the scoresheet.
The NYCFC squad scored the lone goal in the 66th minute as R.J. Allen found Patrick Mullins at the far post and the former Maryland striker slipped the ball in the net. Jackman made one more save late in the match.
The attendance mark surpasses the previous record set during the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tourna-ment when FGCU played host to Auburn in front of just over 2,500 fans.