LAREDO, Texas – Texas A&M International University men's soccer battled back in the second half but ultimately fell to St. Mary's University, 3-1, Saturday evening at Dustdevil Field in Lone Star Conference action.
The Dustdevils (5-5-2, 2-3-1 LSC) found an offensive spark in the second half, highlighted by a goal from Kamal Zulfiyev, but the Rattlers (9-3-0, 5-0-0 LSC) maintained their unbeaten conference record with a late insurance goal.
St. Mary's opened the scoring early in the contest when Ryan Guillaume found the back of the net in the eighth minute, assisted by Filipe Bastos, to give the Rattlers a 1-0 advantage.
The visitors controlled much of the opening half, outshooting TAMIU 7-0. Despite the offensive pressure, Dustdevils goalkeeper Nicklas Berg-Eriksen delivered a strong performance between the posts, recording five first-half saves to keep the deficit at one heading into halftime.
St. Mary's extended its lead shortly after the break when Sebastian Poblete scored in the 51st minute off an assist from Guillaume, putting the Rattlers ahead 2-0.
TAMIU responded with a more aggressive offensive approach in the second half, generating several scoring opportunities as the Dustdevils worked to close the gap.
Aidan Williams tested St. Mary's goalkeeper Nichita Misac with a shot on target in the 59th minute before Zulfiyev forced another save in the 67th minute.
The Dustdevils' persistence paid off in the 71st minute when Zulfiyev connected on a pass from Jhon Marulanda, finding the back of the net to cut the deficit to 2-1. The goal gave TAMIU renewed momentum as the home side pushed for an equalizer.
TAMIU continued searching for opportunities in the closing minutes, with Jaime Martinez and Jorge Delgado each registering shots. However, the Dustdevils were unable to find the equalizing goal.
St. Mary's sealed the victory in the 90th minute when Kai Louviere scored off an assist from Jeth Flores with just 25 seconds remaining in regulation, securing the 3-1 result.
The Rattlers finished with a 16-6 advantage in total shots, including a 10-3 edge in shots on goal. All six of TAMIU's shots came in the second half, reflecting the team's increased offensive pressure following the break.
Zulfiyev led the Dustdevils offensively, recording two shots, both on target, and the team's lone goal. Williams also registered two shots, including one on goal, while Marulanda contributed the assist on Zulfiyev's score.
Defensively, Berg-Eriksen played all 90 minutes and finished with seven saves, including five in the opening half, helping keep TAMIU within striking distance throughout much of the contest.
The Dustdevils will look to regroup as they continue Lone Star Conference play.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:
Kamal Zulfiyev provided the offensive spark for the Dustdevils, scoring TAMIU's lone goal in the 71st minute to cut St. Mary's lead to 2-1. Zulfiyev finished with a team-high two shots on goal, converting one of his opportunities to give the Dustdevils a chance at a second-half comeback.
Zulfiyev is a freshman forward for Texas A&M International University and is currently pursuing a degree in Petroleum Engineering. A native of Saray, Azerbaijan, Kamal is the son of Vugar and Ellada Zulfiyev and was born on January 14, 2009.
