Tigers Dominate from Start in 5-1 Win Over Northern Illinois

Thursday, August 29

Memphis, Tenn.

7 p.m.

University of Memphis

1-2-0, 0-0-0

Northern Illinois

1-2-0, 0-0-0

NIU

Memphis

Tigers Dominate from Start in 5-1 Win Over Northern Illinois

Aug 29, 2024 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis men's soccer dominated Northern Illinois in a 5-1 victory Thursday night at the Billy J. Murphy Track & Field Complex, earning the first win of the season for the Tigers.

The five goals scored matched the second-most in a game for the Tigers under head coach Richard Mulrooney.

HOW IT HAPPENED

In the 30^th minute, Lleyton Imparato sent a corner kick into the box that Logan Longo directed to Lucho Galizzi, who then buried a header inside the left post to give the Tigers their first lead (1-0) of the season.
Six minutes later, the Tigers were awarded a free kick from just outside the top of the box. Imparato took a rebound off the initial kick and one-timed a left-footed rocket over the top of the wall to make it 2-0 Memphis.
In the 60^th minute, it was Konstantinos Marneros' time to get in the box score after a give-and-go with Sebastian Schmalback. Once he received the pass back, Marneros cut past a Husky and fired a ball into the upper right 90 from nearly 10 yards out to extend the advantage to 3-0.
Northern Illinois answered back at the 70-minute mark to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Adam Yousfi wouldn't let the Huskies celebrate too long, putting up his first goal as a Tiger just 26 seconds later with a 20-yard laser off an assist from Longo.
Memphis tacked on its final tally of the match in the 86^th tick. Yousfi sent in a corner kick from the right side that found Cory Pitlik, who then took a touch to get the ball to his dominant foot before sending a pass into the box. The ball found Longo, who knocked it into the left side of the net from five yards out.

NOTABLES

The five goals were tied for the second most in a game for Memphis since 2010.
The four-goal margin was the second most for the Tigers under Mulrooney.
Dominic Foster drew his first collegiate action, starting and playing all 90 minutes.
Also making their collegiate debuts in the win were Alejandro Padilla and Ryan Ruguaru.
Konstantinos and Galizzi scored their first-career goals.
Memphis outshot NIU, 22-8, including 10-5 in shots on target.
The Tigers took five corners.
Filip Sabatti earned his first victory as a Tiger, recording four saves between the pipes.

UP NEXT
Memphis will wrap up its four-match homestand at 6 p.m. Sunday with Central Arkansas.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Soccer, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.