It was a Sunday to forget for the UNM men’s soccer team.
The Lobos (4-4-2) came up short against Air Force 3-2, giving up three goals in less than a six-minute span at the UNM Soccer Complex — this after losing 1-0 to Denver at home Friday.
At one point, the Falcons scored two goals in 38 seconds.
“I am a little bit shocked to be honest,” head Coach Jeremy Fishbein said.
The Lobos controlled much of the match and had some early chances to take the lead, but midfielders Blake Smith and Lance Rozeboom couldn’t find the back of the net.
In the second half, defender Michael Reed got possession on the left side and beat Falcon goalkeeper Matt Underwood from outside the box for the game’s first goal.
“We have two choices,” Reed said. “We can either quit right now, or we can unite and get ourselves out of this hole and win our next eight games and still succeed, and I think that’s what we are going to do.”
Looking for the Lobos’ second goal, forward Josh Caffey’s header rattled off the crossbar.
UNM was left to rue its missed opportunities when Air Force suddenly came to life.
More Lobo misfortune ensued.
Air Force’s Zane Dydasco snaked through dire Lobo defending and split the ball between UNM goalkeeper Justin Holmes and the crossbar off a corner kick in the 72nd minute.
Holmes’ bad luck didn’t end there. He couldn’t hold on to a shot and gave midfielder AFA’s Caleb Downey a gift. Downey tapped the ball in from six yards out for a 2-1 Falcon lead.
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“There is not much to say,” Fishbein said. “We played extremely well for 72 minutes of the game. We had control of the game and played great, and that five-minute span cost us the game.”
As was the case all day, dreadful defending continued to haunt the Lobos.
Air Force midfielder Kevin Durr buried a left-footed shot from the top of the box to the far post past a diving Holmes to end UNM’s horrific stretch.
In the waning moments, UNM desperately pushed forward to tie the game, and Caffey missed another easy opportunity inside the box, while Smith had one of his shots blocked by Rozeboom.
The Lobos scored a second goal late in the match when forward Michael Kafari tapped in the ball with 15 seconds remaining.
Both teams combined for 22 shots in the second half and 31 total fouls.
“What it comes down to is dominating games, possession. Shots on goal don’t equate to winning,” Fishbein said. “We score that second goal, and you’re sitting good, but if you let teams hang in, this is what happens.”
