LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 11th-ranked University of Louisville men’s soccer team welcomes in No. 5 Syracuse on Friday night at Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will be televised on ACC Network Extra.
FIRST PLACE ON THE LINE ON FRIDAY
Friday’s match features the top two teams in the ACC Atlantic Division standings. Syracuse enters two points ahead of the Cardinals in the race for the top spot with three conference matches to play.
ANOTHER TOP-10 OPPONENT FOR THE CARDS
The Friday showdown with the Orange will be the latest for the Cardinals against a team ranked in the top 10. Louisville has already played four matches against top-10 ranked teams, including wins over No. 10 Saint Louis and No. 8 Pitt. Louisville’s last win over a top-five ranked team came in the 2020-21 finale over No. 1 Clemson in April of 2021.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisville leads the all-time series against Syracuse 11-2-5. The Cardinals are unbeaten in the last 14 matches (9-0-5) against the Orange, with SU’s last win in the series coming in 2008. Four of the last five meetings have required two overtimes.
UofL and Syracuse played an all-timer last fall with the Cardinals picking up a 5-4 victory in double overtime. The match featured four penalty kicks, two per team, in the opening 30 minutes. Aboubacar Camara and Ugochukwu Achara scored second half goals and Josh Jones headed home the game-winner in the 103rd minute.
LOUISVILLE DEFENSE TAKING CENTER STAGE
In 2021, Louisville featured one of the top offensive attacks in the country. One year later, it’s Louisville’s defense that has taken the headlines.
The Cardinals have allowed just 10 goals in 12 matches this season, the fourth-fewest in the ACC. Louisville has given up multiple goals in just two matches and is up to five shutouts.
Louisville enters Friday’s match on the heels of three consecutive shutouts and has not allowed a goal in 327 minutes. The Cards have recorded three straight clean sheets for the first time since tallying five in a row in September of 2017.
TROUTMAN STANDING TALL IN GOAL
Ryan Troutman transferred to Louisville for the 2022 season and was in a battle for the starting goalkeeper spot during the preseason. However, Gavin Krenecki started and played every minute of the first six matches.
Troutman got his first…
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