Even with 17 shots, the UNM men’s soccer team didn’t make San Francisco’s goalkeeper Brendan Roslund break much of a sweat.
That’s because the Lobos shot only twice on goal. Roslund saved both.
In a defensive battle, the Lobos outshot the Dons 17-6. After numerous chances to score, UNM regretted missing opportunities, head coach Jeremy Fishbein said, and allowed No. 22 San Francisco to convert on a defensive mistake in the 86th minute.
Conor Chinn scored the only goal of the game, and the Dons won 1-0.
The game appeared headed for overtime until Chinn broke free and went one-on-one with Lobo goalkeeper Justin Fite after a defensive lapse on the Lobos’ part.
“I think one player just stepped forward and the other dropped,” Fishbein said, adding that he couldn’t tell from his vantage point if Chinn was offside. “It was just a miscommunication in the defense.”
Senior defender Simon Ejdemyr said it was a tough way to lose.
“We played very solid and dominated most of the game and lost by an unlucky bounce,” he said.
UNM’s first good chance was when Justin Davis got behind the defense and slammed a ball off the crossbar, but he was called offside. Later, Ejdemyr popped two headers but could not keep them on target. The Lobos’ best chance to score came in the 44th minute after forward Michael Green met a cross with a powerful header in the box, but Roslund was in position to make the save.
“Even though we dominated, when you can’t finish in the final third (of the game), you give a team one opening (and) you can lose,” Fishbein said.
The second half opened up more for both teams, but much as in the first half, neither team threatened in front of goal. UNM continued to supply pressure, but the Lobos could not get off a clean shot.
The Dons happily sat back and absorbed UNM’s aggressiveness, pressing on the counterattack. Eventually it paid off with Chinn’s late-game goal.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
“It’s a humbling experience, but I think it keeps our feet on the ground and will make us work harder,” Ejdemyr said.
The competition will only get more brutal for the Lobos. Like UNM’s last two games, its next two will again be against ranked teams on the road. The Lobos will meet No. 6 Indiana Friday, before facing No. 12 Notre Dame two days later.
