USF Falls to Temple in Hard-Fought Season-Opener, 3-2

The Bulls outshot the Owls while getting goals from Victor Claudel and Josue Monge.

TAMPA (Feb. 6, 2021) – Victor Claudel and Josue Monge each scored a goal for USF, and the Bulls outshot Temple 10-9, but that was not enough as the Owls pulled out a 3-2 win over the Green and Gold in a hard-fought season-opener for both schools on Saturday night at Corbett Stadium. USF returned to the pitch for match competition for the first time since Nov. 21, 2019, when it faced Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulls (0-1, 0-1 AAC) got off to a fast start as they struck first – and struck quickly – when Claudel took a pass from Avionne Flanagan and beat Temple goalkeeper Nikolas Hartmann in the fifth minute of play.

The Owls (1-0, 1-0 AAC), however, would get revenge netting two goals in just under three minutes to take a 2-1 edge into the locker room at the break.

At the beginning of the second stanza, like the first half, the Bulls again struck swiftly as Monge took an offering from freshman Oscar Resano, beat the defender, and Hartmann for the equalizer in the 48th minute.

Each team would then go back-and-forth, with both sides having point-blank opportunities to take the upper hand, but the Owls took advantage, getting the game-winner in the 69th minute.    

Monge and Trey Jackson led the Bulls with three shots and one shot on goal apiece.

USF goalkeeper Cooper Blay finished the night with five saves.

Quotable

“We’re not pleased with the result, but you have to give Temple credit, they came in with a pretty basic game plan, and we knew about it. We knew that their effectiveness was going to be through counters, we just made some young mistakes.”  – USF head coach Bob Butehorn on the loss to Temple

Scoring Summary

USF – Victor Claudel (Avionne Flanagan; 4:49)

Temple – Jalen Campbell (Unassisted; 30:07)

Temple – Amir Cohen (Esteban Suarez; 32:59)

USF – Josue Monge (Oscar Resano; 48:30)

Temple – Jalen Campbell (Mike Eijgendaal, Mickael Borger; 69:03)

                               1              2              F

USF                       1              1              2           

Temple                2              1              3

Shots: USF 10, Temple 5

Shots on Goal: USF 8, Temple 5

Saves: USF 5, Temple 2

Corner Kicks: USF 7, Temple 3

Fouls: USF 15, Temple 13

Notable

  • The loss to Temple drops USF’s all-time record in season-opening matches to 38-16-3 … The Bulls are 5-5-2 in their last 12 lid lifters.
  • USF falls to 5-1-1 in its last seven AAC openers.
  • USF drops its record against Temple in the all-time series to 5-3-1.

Up Next

USF will return to Corbett Stadium to close out its two-match season-opening homestand on Saturday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m., against No. 8 SMU.

About USF Men’s Soccer

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USF Men’s Soccer competed in the school’s first ever intercollegiate athletic contest on Sept. 25, 1965, beating Florida Southern 4-3. Since then, the oldest program on campus has built a winning tradition, claiming 14 conference championships and making 21 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 3 trips to the elite eight.

The program also has a strong reputation within the professional game and boasts 27 MLS draft picks. Notable alumni include two-time MLS Golden Boot winner Jeff Cunningham, USA 1994 World Cup star Roy Wegerle, and 2013 MLS Cup winner Dom Dwyer.

The Bulls have advanced to the postseason in 18 of the past 19 years, including 12 NCAA Tournament appearances during that period.

USF Soccer concluded the 2019 season with an 11-7-1 overall record, earning an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. Four players earned AAC honors, highlighted by first team selections Avionne Flanagan and Javain Brown. Adrian Billhardt was tabbed a second team selection. In addition, Brown and Salvatore Mazzaferro were named to The AAC All-Rookie Team. Head coach Bob Butehorn returns to lead USF in his fourth season on the sidelines.

 #GoBulls