PITTSBURGH — Set pieces were the name of the game as RMU Men’s Soccer traveled to crosstown rivals Duquesne, Sunday evening. The Colonials would let a 2 goal lead slip late as the teams would end in a 2-2 final. Three of the four total goals came off set piece plays, including two freekicks.
The play would open very evenly, with the reigning Horizon League champions taking the game to the Dukes in the early goings. Duquesne would have the first real chance of the game though, coming from a throw-in RMU failed to clear in their own box, leading to a volley from Roni Badler that would sail over the bar.
The Colonials would wait till the twenty-third minute to capitalize on a throw in of their own. Captain William Afawubo would see his long throw in flicked on by Victor Thompson and beat the Duquense goaltender, with new Colonial Jack Bejarano waiting at the back post to tap it in. The Farleigh Dickenson transfer has found a new home on the left wing for the Colonials, scoring and playing 78 of the 90 minutes tonight.
RMU wouldn’t wait long to extend their lead either, this time coming off a Anass Hadran freekick that was tipped off the crossbar, favorably falling to the feet of another new face, Royie Rahamim. The freshman from Australia was able to capitalize on the rebound, heading it in for RMU’s second.
The Colonials’ two goal advantage wouldn’t stay in tact for long, as Duquesne would be offered their own chance to score off a freekick just 5 minutes later. Dakota Jonke would take advantage of the opportunity, putting a lovely shot from 19 yards out past Colonial keeper, Josh Lane, making it the third set piece goal of the game
Roles would reverse in the second half, as the Dukes would shine on their home turf, putting 3 shots on goal in just the first 15 minutes. The Colonials on the other hand couldn’t muster much, with the offense sputtering in front of the Duke’s goal, conjuring only one shot in the second half.
Duquesne would wait until the seventy-ninth minute to find their equalizer, coming from a lovely play down the left wing as first half scorer Jonke would play a ball to the forward run of defender Mathieu Brick who cut it back to the late run of Roni Badler, blasting it past Lane to level the score at 2 a piece.
The Colonials would sit back and try to see off Duquesne’s pressure in the final ten minutes, constantly clearing chances then regrouping before the next siege. The Dukes would end the game with 19 shots total, 10 of which came in the second half.
As the final whistle blew, players on both teams dropped to the pitch, tired after what had been a thrilling early outing. The Colonials now sit with a record of 0-0-2, following a goalless draw to Mercyhurst in their season opener. They’ll get a chance to rest and regroup for a week before welcoming Mt. Saint Mary’s to the North Athletic Complex next Monday, September 1. That game will be 4 p.m. and you can catch it on streaming with ESPN+ or the recap afterwards on Sentry Media.
