Younes Dayekh converted a 61^st-minute penalty kick to give UIC a 1-0 win over IUPUI Saturday night.  Andres Vasquez made three saves and picked up his fourth clean sheet of the campaign.

Sean Phillips' Summary
"Going into this game, we knew it was going to be a battle and it was.  While I thought we created some good things in the first half on some set pieces, we never got a really good look on goal which isn't a surprise, because IUPUI was set up to be difficult to break down.  In the second half, IUPUI created some challenges for us that turned into chances for them.  The rub of the ball didn't go their way tonight on a couple of those chances, but I think overall with the number of chances we created and the possession we picked up as the game went on, it started to look like what we wanted, which was a game where we had most of the ball."

Turning Points

• IUPUI took a free kick just on top of the box late in the first half.  Tommy Patacca sent it around the wall, and Andres Vasquez leaped to make the save.
• Josh Torres was fouled in the box in the 62^nd minute.  Younes Dayekh stepped to the spot and converted the penalty to give UIC the only goal they would need.
• Less than 10 minutes later, Nkusuwila Zulu played the ball from his foot to chest to foot, setting up possession in the box.  After a couple of passes, he was on the ball for a shot that slammed into the crossbar.

Match Details
The Flames started off with a couple of promising chances early in the match, but once IUPUI settled in on defense, opportunities were not plentiful for either side.  The teams combined for just eight shots on goal and nine corner kicks, with only two of those corners coming after halftime.

Dayekh headed a corner kick wide of the net in the early going.  Josiah Ash, who returned to the starting lineup after three matches, got in for a shot that the last man back was able to block.  Right before IUPUI took their free kick, which resulted in Vasquez' most highlight-worthy save of the match, Alwin Seitz fired a low shot that just missed going inside the post.

Leading up to the decisive penalty, the Flames did not have much development in the final third.  A Pau Mateo free kick was in range of the goal but high, counting as the team's only second half shot until Dayekh sent his kick just past Lucas Morefield's dive, off the post, and into the net.  "Things did get a lot tighter in the second half," Phillips acknowledged, continuing, "that's not a surprise, as anyone that's watched what Brian Barnett has done since he got to IUPUI knows, every year they have shown growth. 

UIC was not without a few moments of anticipation offensively in the last half hour, but they were committed to playing defense.  Several times they turned away a Jaguar advance.  Vasquez picked his moments to come off his line to break up a pass, and the team had it second straight 1-0 win.

"We started to be braver as the second half went on," Phillips said.  "We've had two clean sheets in the week since we lost to Milwaukee – the guys have responded.  There are areas we have to get better at; to IUPUI's credit, they created some challenges that were very difficult for us. 

"Fortunately, we found a way to win tonight.  Sometimes in league play, while it may not be your best performance, you have to grind it out and that's what we did."

The Flames will have a week to rest, recover, and prepare for their next match.  A trip to Oakland is up next on September 25.