Despite 27 Shots, Eagles Shutout In 1-0 Loss At Gardner-Webb Wednesday Evening

ROCK HILL, SC— The Winthrop men’s soccer team suffered a 1-0 setback at Gardner-Webb, Wednesday evening in Big South Conference action.

It was the first time since Sept. 9 in a 0-0 draw at East Tennessee State in which the Eagles were shutout (12 games) as they fall to 9-6-1 overall and 3-5 in the Big South. Gardner-Webb improves to 9-6-1 overall and 6-3 in the league.

Winthrop had several good scoring chances over the course of the first half, but yielded a late goal to trail 1-0 at the break.

The ball was served into the box, straight on from goal as Walker Johnson was trying to get his foot in front of Craig Swaby to clear the ball but was unable to get anything on it as the ball popped right down to the foot of Swaby. The sophomore forward calmly ripped a ball into the lower right corner just outside the six for his first of the season. The goal was set up by Ali Al-Gashamy, which was his league-leading seventh assist on the year.

Winthrop had no better chance to tie the match than in the 74th minute when Adriano Negri was set up free in the box as he ripped a low shot that was saved by Matthew Swan. The rebound bounced back to Negri as he tried to put the ball into the open net from about 12 yards away a Gardner-Webb defender was able to block the shot. The ball bounced out toward the top of the 18-yard box as Magnus Thorsson ran onto the ball and his shot toward the open goal was cleared off the line by a Gardner-Webb defender. It was just one of several good chances for the Eagles to get on the scoreboard.

The Eagles had two goals called back in the final 15 minutes of the game. The first one came in the 13th minute when Obougou’s shot deflected right to Negri who tapped it in but was called offside. With under two minutes to play, Obougou was called off again as a through ball came right to his feet and he finished the one-on-one but was whistled for offside as he seemed to be a step early.

In the 21st minute, Pol Sole chased down a ball chipped over the top of the defense into the box as a Gardner-Webb defender tried to hold him off and head the ball back to the goalie. However, the header was whiffed and Sole slipped by and was free to goal inside the six to the right of Swan as he tried to place a shot into the top of the goal. Swan just got his fingers on the ball and pushed it over the crossbar. Off the corner kick, the ball popped out to Adam Brundle as he ripped a right footed shot at the top of the box that was blocked. The ball came right back to him and he set up his left foot and just missed the top right corner as the ball nearly settled on the top of the net.

Negri, who has scored all three of his goals away from home this season, just came into the game when he found the ball at his feet at the top of the box and let a shot fly. The shot was headed toward the left corner of the goal but Swan pushed it by the post over the line for a corner kick with a diving save.

Brundle had an opportunity in the 8th minute when a service came right to him straight from goal about 12 10 yards out as he struck it solid but it went right at Swan for the save.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs best chance early on came in the 12th minute when Denzel Clarke made a run near post and tried to head a cross down and to the near post corner of the goal but it was wide.

Swan earned his third consecutive shutout in goal as he finished with 11 saves while Fabian Broich made three in a losing effort. Winthrop finished with a 27-15 shot advantage.

Winthrop returns home for its final two games of the regular season beginning with Radford on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m.