In a tightly contested match, the Matadors prevailed over the UNLV Rebels where midfielder/forward Eyifehn Forfor bagged his first goal for CSUN 77 minutes into the game. The Matadors kept their unbeaten streak alive, improving to a three-game win streak and fueling their best start to a campaign in over a decade.
CSUN men’s soccer now holds a record of 5-0-3 after a big win over UNLV (2-4-2) at Matador Soccer Field Sunday night, one-nil.
The late goal came when midfielder Zack Harris took a short corner kick. Forfor and Harris exchanged passes to send a cross into the box.
The ball was deflected mid-air but Forfor saw an opportunity. With a soft touch on goal over UNLV goalkeeper Hugo Lemos, he gave the Matadors the lead.
Forfor said the goal was a meaningful moment for him after a nail-biting victory over the Rebels.
“It’s a special moment for me because it’s my first goal for CSUN. This goal for me feels like I’ve taken a burden off my shoulders,” he said. “I also remembered my grandma who passed away last week. This goal was special for me.”
The Matadors also defeated the Lions of LMU midweek by the minimal margin of one-to-zero, culminating a perfect week for the Matadors. Additionally, freshman defender Daniel Garcia scored his first career-goal for the team.
Defensively, the Matadors have only allowed a single goal all season long. This heavily defensive mindset stems from goalkeeper Dorian Drucks who instills a sense of security in his team. The shot-stopper has six shutouts this season.
A big part of the Matadors’ success comes from defenders Luke Lawrence and Siddiq Lezzar who have been vital for CSUN in being this dominant in the back.
After the victory over UNLV, head coach Terry Davila spoke about his team’s performance and the improvements he saw on pitch during the game.
“These teams are so strategically good and so tactically organized,” Davila said about the opposition. “You forget the most important thing in soccer is football. … You still have to be good with the football, so you can break down teams.”
Harris controlled the center part of the field for the Matadors and led the team forward with precise passing and creating opportunities.
The Rebels had no answer defensively and struggled even with the tight 4-4-2 mid-block formation, allowing for CSUN to build momentum starting from the back and moving the ball forward to the flanks.
CSUN will travel to Arizona and play Grand Canyon University on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. in a non-conference matchup at GCU Stadium as they look to continue their perfect start to the season. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
