‘It feels a lot better than last year.’ UK soccer gets payback against Louisville.
On a rainy, chilly night in Lexington the University of Kentucky men’s soccer team warmed its bones with some long-awaited payback.
And, perhaps, secured bragging rights that will stand for an unusually long time.
Eythor Bjorgolfsson scored two goals, leading UK to a 3-1 victory over Louisville at the Bell Soccer Complex.
With the annual Kentucky-Louisville football game canceled this season and matchups in other sports in doubt because of the coronavirus pandemic, Monday’s scrap between the Cats and Cards could very well end up being the only meeting between programs at the rival schools this academic year.
But UK Coach Johan Cedergren didn’t need that unusual nugget to motivate the Cats on Monday. Last season, the Cardinals beat UK 3-0 in Louisville. Cedergren last week called that match “one of the lowlights” of his nine-year Kentucky career. Monday’s result was a welcome salve to that yearlong sting.
“It feels a lot better than last year, let’s start with that,” Cedergren said. “I’m proud of the guys. It’s unprecedented times and I think there are challenges that everyone is dealing with … Any time Louisville and Kentucky play, no matter what, it’s going to be a competitive game.
“It’s nice to get a win any time we play Louisville, especially after how the game went last year.”
Spectators were limited to a small number of player guests and essential personnel because of COVID-19 safety protocols. In front of a tiny but enthusiastic crowd, the Wildcats got off to a bit of a slow start. The Cardinals had the Cats on their heels through the first 10 minutes, pushing the action on UK’s half of the pitch for the majority of that stretch.
But as the rain subsided midway through the first half, things changed. The Wildcats became the aggressors and finally broke through in the 25th minute when reigning Conference USA Player of the Year Aimé Mabika blasted a long pass from midfield into the box.
Louisville goalie Jake Gelnovatch raced out to try and grab the ball, but Bjorgolfsson made a crafty move to block his path then tapped a shot into the empty net to give the Cats the lead. In the first half, UK managed four shots on goal to just one for U of L.
The Cardinals evened it up in the 55th minute when Bryce LeBel knocked home a header off a corner kick. Five minutes later, a spirited Kentucky attack paid off. Gelnovatch made a nifty save for the Cardinals, but Bjorgolfsson scored off a deflection to put the Cats up 2-1.
Mabika delivered the dagger in the 84th minute, lacing a penalty kick into the right corner.
Mabika menaced the Cardinals all night long, using his massive frame to routinely obstruct lines of attack.
“He’s an unbelievable player,” Cedergren said of his senior captain. “He’s 6-(foot)-6, fast, a really good passer … Sometimes you almost feel like it’s men against boys when he’s playing.”
Kentucky improved to 2-1 while Louisville dropped to 0-2. The Wildcats have completed nearly half of their seven-game fall schedule, as the Conference USA season has been pushed back to spring along with the NCAA Tournament. Cedergren said Monday’s win was especially important with regard to the postseason, since the tournament’s at-large field has been reduced this year from 24 teams to 12.
“The reason we’re playing such a tough schedule is to try to make sure that if it gets to a point where we’re looking at an at-large bid that we have an impressive résumé to put in front of the committee,” Cedergren said.
Beating the hometown team
Monday’s match was extra sweet for one young Wildcat. Redshirt sophomore Ryan Troutman made his first career start in goal for UK.
Troutman, a Louisville native and graduate of Trinity High School, came on in relief of Kentucky goalkeeper Enrique Facusse at halftime of last week’s match against Duke with the score tied 2-2. Troutman stymied the Blue Devils in the second half as UK pulled away for a 4-2 win in its home opener. He was rewarded with the start on Monday and helped the Cats’ cause with a pair of saves.
“He was very, very excited to start and he was even more excited to get the win,” Cedergren said of Troutman. “He did a fantastic job … I’m sure he was a little nervous because it’s a special game for him, of course, to play against the Cardinals.“
Next game
Central Arkansas at Kentucky
When: 3 p.m. Friday
Where: Bell Complex (no spectators)
Live video broadcast: ESPN3
This story was originally published September 29, 2020 at 7:51 AM.
