EAST LANSING, Mich. – After starting the season with three-straight home games, the Michigan State men’s soccer team will now hit the road for two road contests. The Spartans will take on No. 14 Akron in a Labor Day battle on Monday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The game will be broadcast on GoZips.com and on the ESPN app with Dave Bacon and Chad Welker, calling the action.
Michigan State looks to get back on track after a pair of one-goal losses. Last week, MSU fell to No. 4 Notre Dame, 3-2, on Aug. 29, before losing to Western Michigan, 1-0, on Sept. 1.
LOOKING AT THE ZIPS
Akron holds the series lead with Michigan State 31-13-2. The Zips are ahead in the series 15-5-2 at home. Michigan State is looking to halt a five-game losing streak in the series. MSU’s last win was a 2-1 win at home in 2016.
The series between the Spartans and the Zips has always featured tight battles. Since 2009, nine of the 13 games between the two sides have been decided by a goal or less.
Akron started the season with a road win at Florida International and a pair of home victories against VCU and Wright State. Ten different Zips have found the back of the net this season.
LAST TIME AGAINST AKRON
On Aug. 30, 2021, after an Akron goal with 25 seconds remaining in regulation, Michigan State men’s soccer dropped a heartbreaker, 2-1 at DeMartin Stadium. In the 63rd minute, Michael Miller scored his second goal in as many games to put the Spartans on top 1-0. The play began with a Gianni Ferri ball up the left side of the field. With some fancy footwork, Ferri found Miller inside the box to put MSU up 1-0. Akron equalized in the 79th minute before Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal scored the game winner in the 90th minute.
Familiar faces
Monday’s game with the Zips will be the return of current Spartan assistant coach TJ Kolba to his old stopping grounds. Kolba was as an assistant coach at Akron under head coach Jared Embick from 2015-19.
UP NEXT
After facing the Zips, the Spartans will play three of their next four on the road. MSU will face Bowling Green on Friday, Sept. 9. After the two-game road swing, MSU will return home to the friendly confines to take on Chicago State on Monday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. MSU will then face nationally-ranked Washington (Sept. 16) and Indiana…
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