The UIC men's soccer team waited 455 days to get back on the pitch.

Diego Mendoza made sure the wait was worth it.

The freshman wasted no time making his impact, scoring a goal at 7:59 to give the Flames a 1-0 win over Wright State in the 2020-21 season opener.

"As usual with Wright State, it was a hard fought win," said Sean Phillips, who earned his 100^th win as the Flames' head coach.  "One of the messages for the whole season is everyone has different challenges and teams are going to have to be able to adjust and find ways to play – whether practice is impacted, a team has a lack of players, or as happened today, we have to play in late-season weather outside on a full size field for the first time in a long time."

On a windy afternoon that gave way to freezing rain and snow, the Flames did enough to thwart Wright State's lineup that lost four of its top five scorers from 2019.

"Even though they had a lot of new pieces, it was no surprise thanks to their good coaching staff and the program they have built, that they gave us plenty of challenges.  We took advantage of an opportunity early in the game.  At times we had to weather a very talented Wright State team that made some adjustments," Phillips said.

Sokratis Vasilas made four saves in posting his fourth career shutout.

The win was the third straight for UIC in the rivalry, and the tenth match in the last 13 meetings decided by one goal or less.

Match Highlights

• Diego Mendoza initiated UIC's offense in the early goings.  He put a shot on goal following a corner kick within the first two minutes.  In the eighth minute, Nkusuwila Zulu played him through and he chipped the keeper from 16 yards out to make it 1-0 Flames.
• "Diego is a player that has played deeper in the midfield, who is used to organizing and facilitating," Phillips said.  "Alvin [Seitz] and Pepsi [Jose Perez Flores] tracked the ball, Diego saw the moment, went into the attack, realized goalkeeper was out of position and lifted it over him.  Nobody who's watched him play is surprised at all that he made a play that required a high soccer IQ and technical ability."
• Keeper Sokratis Vasilas got tested for the first time on a 17^th-minute shot from outside the box.  It was headed toward the right corner until he got down to make the save.  Wright State took a corner kick, and earned another one minutes later, but did not manufacture a threat on either one.
• The Raiders had a good opportunity late in the first half when Jose Perez Flores was carded right on the edge of the box.  The free kick went low and on target.  Vasilas made the save and immediately initiated a counter-attack that resulted in a shot opportunity for Olek Melnyk.
• Wright State unleashed a barrage of shots in the first two minutes of the second half.  Zion Beaton tried to go to the near post, but Vasilas made the save.  Two subsequent shots from the right side both drifted wide left.  "Wright State adjusted and took the game to us," Phillips said.  "They got out on the front foot in the second half, but we found a way to get past it and take a little bit of momentum.  We had to win ugly, something we don't like to do but we went outside our comfort zone to get the win."
• UIC did not attempt a shot in the second half until after 20 minutes had elapsed.  The effort from Jose Perez Flores was elevated, giving Isaiah Slaubaugh a good look at it for the save.  Five minutes later, Mendoza missed from a wide angle.
• As Wright State chased a goal, physicality increased.  The Raiders were whistled for six fouls – all consecutively – in a 13-minute span late in the match.  UIC's defense did not waver, as they allowed the hosts to attempt only one shot in the final 30 minutes.

 
Facts and Figures

• Freshman Diego Mendoza started in the midfield in the first match of his career.  The remainder of the First XI had at least one previous start each.
• Olek Melnyk made his Flames debut as a first-half sub, and fellow freshmen Juan Gutierrez and Alex Canfield entered in the second half.
• Mendoza took a game-high three shots, placing two on goal.  No other Flame had more than one shot.  The final team count was even at nine attempts apiece.
• Perez Flores was the only Flame cautioned.  Wright State was issued two yellow cards.
• The Raiders were whistled for 16 fouls; the Flames committed nine.
• Corner kicks favored WSU by a scant 4-3 margin.  UIC's final corner kick came in the dying seconds after Eddie Garcia's shot was deflected out.
• Four Flames – Vasilas, Graiber, Pau Mateo, and Zulu – played the full 90 minutes.  Roberto Alonzo played a game high 58 minutes off the bench.

Up Next

• UIC will host Oakland on February 10.
• The match will be played indoors in Rockford, due to Flames Field's natural grass surface being unavailable during the winter months.
• Spectators will not be allowed.