Men’s soccer shuts out Niagara

Niagara attempted to swing momentum in its favor with a counterattack, but the chance was smothered by the Orange back line. It was yet another strong performance from Syracuse’s defenders who were tasked with preserving a one goal lead early on for the second consecutive game.

Defender Olu Oyegunle executed a standout performance in the match by proving he was up to the challenge with several quality tackles and decisive clearances whenever the ball found itself close by.

The Orange was able to keep Niagara on the back foot for the rest of the half by creating several scoring chances that came close to a goal.

The second half looked more promising for Niagara. A goal scoring opportunity came to an abrupt halt for the Purple Eagles after a bad pass, but they appeared more aggressive and energized than they did in the previous half.

However, that appearance did not last for long.

Syracuse’s midfield, most notably senior Amferny Sinclair, began to control the ball more and create scoring opportunities for the forwards. On the rare occasion that the ball managed to get into Syracuse’s box, it was either smothered by goalkeeper Russell Shealy or cleared away by the back line.

Niagara’s best chance at tying up the game arrived in the 80th minute when they were given a free kick just outside of the Syracuse box. The ball was launched straight into the Orange wall and immediately cleared out of harm’s way. The final whistle sounded 10 minutes later and with it, Syracuse’s unbeaten streak stayed alive.

Although Syracuse took home the victory, Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre didn’t hesitate to give credit to his opponents.

“They’re a well-coached team and it was a battle out there,” McIntyre said.

McIntyre seems to be up for the challenge as the Orange next face top-ranked Clemson at 7 p.m. Friday in South Carolina.

“Everybody knows who we’re going up against,” McIntyre said. “They’re national champions. They’ve beaten some good teams, but it’ll be a wonderful game. We can be excited about that.”