UK men’s soccer stuns No. 1 Notre Dame
Kentucky freshman Stefan Stojkovic brings the ball up the field during the University of Kentucky vs. Belmont men’s soccer game at the Wendell and Vickie Bell Soccer Complex in Lexington, Ky., on Sunday, August 31, 2014. Photo by Jonathan Krueger
September 9, 2014
Staff reports
UK men’s soccer snapped No. 1 Notre Dame’s unbeaten streak with a 1-0 victory in South Bend, Ind., on Monday.
Freshman forward Stefan Stojkovic scored the lone goal at the 89:35 mark, tying it for the forth-latest regulation goal in program history.
Notre Dame, the reigning NCAA champion, had not lost a match since Oct. 26, 2013, while UK was recovering from a 1-0 loss to No. 17 Indiana in a lightning-shortened match on Friday.
While Notre Dame held a significant advantage in shots (18-5) and corner kicks (8-0) in the match, UK junior goalkeeper Callum Irving earned the Cats a clean sheet with seven saves.
UK took four shots in the opening half, forcing two saves from Notre Dame senior ‘keeper Patrick Wall, but the Cats’ only shot of the second half was Stojkovic’s goal.
The buildup to that fateful final shot began with a goal kick from Irving, which landed at Stojkovic’s feet. The Swede passed the ball to his countryman, freshman forward Hampus Agerstrom, on the corner of the box, who fed it directly back to Stojkovic.
The ensuing 15-yard shot crossed the goal and landed in the back of the net, giving UK the lead with 25 seconds left. The Fighting Irish were unable to equalize before the final whistle.
UK last beat the No. 1 team in the nation in 2007, when they toppled SMU, 2-1, in Lexington.
The victory gives UK a 2-2-0 record for the season thus far, and the Cats will return to Lexington to take on Eastern Tennessee State University on Saturday.
