Sept. 16, 2016
by Tony Jones
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A rough and tumble soccer match in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) on Friday night favored the hometown Louisville side. A miraculous first half goal by Mohamed Thiaw in the 25th minute stood the test against the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team, as the host Cardinals downed the top ranked Irish 1-0 in front of an energized crowd at Lynn Stadium.
No. 1 Notre Dame (6-1-0, 1-1-0 ACC) controlled much of the run of play throughout the contest, outshooting Louisville (5-1-1, 2-0-0 ACC) officially by a 6-3 count. A number of Irish chances near frame were turned aside by the Cardinal defense, and Louisville goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland stopped all three official shots on goal that he faced.
Thiaw broke a deadlock in the middle of the first half, serving a 40-yard lob toward the Notre Dame end that cleared the outstretched arms of lunging Irish goalkeeper Chris Hubbard. Thiaw’s fourth goal of the season gave Louisville the 1-0 edge at 24:18.
Notre Dame pushed the pace for the remainder of the contest, neutralizing Louisville and maintaining possession in the opposing third of the field for much of the second half. Strong offensive play from strikers Jon Gallagher and Thomas Ueland was unable to notch the Irish equalizer, as both players finished the match with three shot attempts each to lead Notre Dame.
Notre Dame returns to Alumni Stadium to host defending ACC tournament champion Syracuse on Sept. 23. The 7 p.m. (ET) match will air live on ACC Network Extra.
Season and single game tickets for the 2016 Notre Dame men’s soccer season remain on sale. Visit und.com/BuyTickets or call the Murnane Family Ticket Office at 574-631-7356 for more information or to purchase tickets.
Play of the Game
Jon Gallagher nearly drew Notre Dame even in the 85th minute after a service from the left flank found its way in front of the Louisville goal. Cardinal keeper Stefan Cleveland made a great leaping save on the right-footed shot to thwart the Irish striker and preserve the lead for his side by punching the attempt over the crossbar.
Turning Point
After Mohamed Thiaw’s goal in the 25th minute, Notre Dame limited Louisville to a single shot over the final 65 plus minutes of the match. Despite numerous scoring chances that did not fall, the Irish officially outshot the Cardinals by a 4-1 margin the remainder of the night.
Note of the Game
Notre Dame was held without a goal for the first time in the regular season since a scoreless ACC draw at Virginia Tech on Oct. 16, 2015, a span of nine contests.
Louisville 1, #1 Notre Dame 0
September 16, 2016
Louisville, Ky. (Lynn Stadium)
No. 1 Notre Dame 0 0 — 0
Louisville 1 0 — 1
UL 1. Mohamed Thiaw (Joey Kunkel), 24:18.
Total Shots: UL 3 (2-1), ND 6 (3-3)
Shots on Goal: UL 1, ND 3
Saves: UL 3 (Stefan Cleveland 3 in 90:00), ND 1 (Chris Hubbard 1 in 90:00)
Corner Kicks: UL 3 (3-0), ND 6 (2-4)
Fouls: UL 8, ND 5
Offsides: UL 1, ND 1
Attendance: 4,043
–ND–
Tony Jones, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2012 and coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame softball and men’s soccer programs. A native of Jamestown, New York, Jones is a 2011 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, and prior to arriving at Notre Dame held positions at the University of Louisiana Monroe and with the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills.