Quakers Score Both Goals In Second Half
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – One play went a long way in deciding
the outcome of Saturday's Yale men's soccer game with
Penn. Midway through the second half, Yale goalkeeper Bobby
Thalman was ruled to have deliberately tripped a Penn
player in the box. The Quakers were awarded a penalty kick and
Thalman was issued a red card. Christian Barreiro knocked in the
p.k. and Loukas Tasigianis added an insurance goal 11 minutes later
as the 15th-ranked Quakers escaped Reese Stadium with a
2-0 victory.
While there was little question about the awarding of the
penalty kick, the red card on Thalman seemed harsh. It forced the
Bulldogs to play the last 22 minutes, 40 seconds a man down against
a Penn team that hasn't allowed a goal since Sept. 26.
"It was the turning point of the game," said Yale
head coach Brian Tompkins. "We were still alive at that point
and doing okay."
There were only three shots in the first half, but two of them
were big-time scoring chances. In the 26th minute,
Yale's Eric Meyer split the defense and
rocketed a shot a just wide from 12 yards out. Six minutes later,
Penn's Thomas Brandt got behind the defense on the right
wing, but saw his shot kicked away by Thalman, who made a terrific
save on the play.
Penn (11-2, 4-0 Ivy) had the better of the play early in the
second half, getting the first four shots. Nevertheless, the game
remained scoreless until 67:20 when the Quakers were awarded the
penalty kick.
Matt Chesky, who had not appeared in a game yet
this season, had the unenviable task of replacing Thalman. He came
close to stopping Barreiro's shot and finished with three
saves.
"I thought Matt did well under difficult
circumstances," Tompkins said. "He made a couple of
good saves."
Despite being a man down, the Bulldogs (2-10-1, 1-3 Ivy) had two
shots before Tasigianis sealed the victory with his goal at
78:19.
Penn finished with a 16-5 edge in shots.
The Quakers have now posted five straight shutouts.
Yale is back in action on Wednesday, hosting Lehigh. Kickoff at
Reese Stadium is slated for 7 p.m.
Report filed by Tim Bennett, Yale Sports Publicity
