GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay men's soccer team held on against Eastern Illinois in the season opener Thursday night, defeating the Panthers 2-1 at Aldo Santaga Stadium. GB scored the first two goals of the match before conceding a penalty and goal in the 82nd minute. The Phoenix held strong in the final eight minutes to see out the 2-1 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both squads found opportunities to score in the first half, but nothing came to fruition. Green Bay totaled four shots, compared to just one for Eastern Illinois.
The offense would got going in the second half, with the Phoenix racking up 17 shots, which eventually led to a goal from Ruben Linden in the 59th minute. Linden scored a header at the front post off of a corner kick from freshman Jake Parish. GB would score a goal again thanks to a deflection off a Panthers player in the 78th minute. It looked like the dagger that put the game away, but Eastern Illinois didn't let up. Sam Eccles scored on a penalty kick in the 81st minute because of a foul committed by Hesron Barry in the Phoenix box. EIU would make things interesting in the final eight minutes, but Green Bay staved off the Panther attack, running down the clock en route to the 2-1 victory.
GAME NOTES
- Green Bay registered eight shots on goal.
- Lindens' goal was the second of his career.
- Eccles' goal was the first of his career.
- The Phoenix surrendered just four shots, the fewest since allowing four shots at Chicago State on Sept. 3, 2021.
COMING UP
The Phoenix host Chicago State on Sunday afternoon with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. It will mark just the second time GB has ever matched up against the Cougars. General admission is free. The game will be live-streamed on ESPN+.
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