Photos & Game Summary: Rams’ Win on Friday Propels them to Semifinals

Official VCU Game Summary

Score: No. 1 VCU 1, No. 8 Fordham 0
Location: Richmond, Va. (Sports Backers Stadium)
Records: VCU 6-5-5, Fordham 6-4-7

THE SHORT STORY: Behind a 74th minute goal by Damian Gallegos, No. 1 VCU Men’s Soccer advanced to the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament following a 1-0 victory over No. 8 Fordham on Friday evening.

“Tonight was again a total team effort,” said Head Coach Dave Giffard. “I was so proud of the guys for the way they controlled large stretches of the game with the ball and then dealt pretty well with a super dangerous team in Fordham who can manufacture chances out of almost anything. In the end, we advance to Wednesday and will begin to get ready for UMass.”

PITCH SIDE

• Gallegos scored his team leading fourth goal to give the Rams the win
• Jonathan Kanagwa assisted the goal, his fourth assist of the season
• John Ermini made the start in goal, stopping four shots to post his fourth shutout of the season
• Andrey Salmeron led the team with four total shots
• Papa Toure, William Hitchcock, Mouhamed Tucker and Kanagwa each added a shot on goal
• VCU outshot Fordham, 12-9, finishing with five shots on goal to Fordham’s four

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ermini made a pair of saves early, stopping shots in the fifth and 11th minutes to set the tone for VCU
• Tucker and Toure each had shots on goal in the 20th and 29th minutes
• When the halftime whistle blew the score sat at 0-0 as things headed into the break
• In the 60th minute Hitchcock ripped a shot on goal as the Rams begun to ask questions of the Fordham defense
• Shortly before VCU’s opening goal, Kanagwa nearly sent one home himself on a shot that was saved in the 70th minute
• But only four minutes later, in the 74th minute, Gallegos took two touches after a perfect pass from Kanagwa, sending it home to put the Rams up 1-0
• Ermini would make one more save, in the 81st minute, as the Rams held on to knock off Fordham, 1-0, and advance in the A-10 tournament

UP NEXT: VCU will next host No. 7 UMass on Wed., Oct. 8 in the A-10 Tournament Semifinals.