NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Notre Dame and Virginia played another instant classic at Alumni Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as the Irish came away with a 2-1 victory in double overtime to improve to 3-2 on the season and 2-1 in ACC play.
After trailing 1-0 after the first half, the Irish leveled the match in the 54th minute off a Jack Lynn header from Patrick Coleman. Notre Dame won the match in the 103rd minute after an own goal to give the Irish the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first half was a cagey affair, as neither side generated many scoring chances. The Cavaliers did convert their best look of the half, scoring the game’s opening goal on a chip over the keeper from Axel Gunnarsson after a ball over the top from Rafael Caipo sent him in on goal.
The Irish regrouped in the second stanza, controlling the majority of play and creating chances. Notre Dame leveled the match in the 54th minute, after Coleman hit a perfect cross to Lynn, who made no mistake with his header to draw even at 1-1.
Junior center back Philip Quinton came up with the defensive heroics to keep the contest level in the 82nd minute, as Gunnarsson’s effort from range was on target but Quinton made a last ditch effort to head the ball off the bar and keep it out of the net.
The Irish nearly claimed all three points in regulation, as Coleman was one-on-one with the Virginia keeper in the 86th minute but the goalie came up with the save to send the game into overtime.
Lynn had two great looks in the final two minutes of the first overtime session to win the match, blasting a header off the bar in the 98th minute before having a shot in the box saved in the 99th minute.
The Irish found the golden goal in the 103rd minute of play to end the epic affair. Reese Mayer launched a long throw into the box, which was flicked on by Quinton. Aiden McFadden then got a touch with a header to throw off the Virginia player whose touch sent the ball into the net for an own goal to give the Irish the victory.
STAT OF THE MATCH
Lynn remains on form for the Irish, scoring his third goal in his last three games.
HEAD COACH CHAD RILEY’S TAKE
On the performance…
“I am very proud of the group. We know anytime you play Virginia, who was obviously in the national championship game last year, that it will be a tough game. Without many ACC games every point matters.
“We came out solidly but they came out well. We will have to look and see the film. We obviously don’t like to give up the first goal but I thought we regrouped after that and did okay in the second half of the opening 45 minutes.
“We regrouped at halftime and I loved the response. This was the first game we have gone down a goal and come back and win so I think that is a big moment for our team.”
On what he told his team at the half…
“Like I told them, whether it is rust or not, we didn’t play for a couple of weeks, we should have more energy. Then we talked about a few things that were causing us trouble and the guys responded really well. Obviously we defended well and created good chances in the second half.”
On the game-tying goal and the defensive save off the line…
“Obviously it was a great goal. We strung quite a few passes together which are the things we worked on and had a good cross and good finish. Then Philip [Quinton] did what you want your defenders to do. It is never a goal until it goes into the net and he reacted really well to the situation and saved the game for us.”
On creating chances in OT…
“I think it is great and builds confidence for the attack. Overtime is all about controlling the game and capitalizing on a couple of moments and I was proud that we created a couple good looks at goal and then it was nice to get one to go in.”
NOTES OF THE MATCH
- The Irish improve to 5-8-4 against the Cavaliers and have won two of the last three matches in the series.
- Saturday was the first time in the last four matches in the series that either team scored two or more goals.
- The Irish and Cavaliers have played at least one overtime session in four of the last six meetings with Notre Dame going 2-0-2 in those matches.
- Notre Dame improves to 3-1 in home matches during the 2020 campaign.
- Lynn scored his third goal of the season and 16th of his career, which leads all active Notre Dame players.
- Coleman recorded the first assist of his career with his cross leading to the first goal for the Irish.
UP NEXT
The Irish head to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers at 6 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 30. The match will be broadcast on ACCN.
FOLLOW THE IRISH ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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