NEW YORK — The Columbia men's soccer team did everything but score the goal it searched for all night and succumbed to an 89th-minute winner by LIU's Emil Jaaskelainen, 1-0, Saturday night at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium.
 
Prior to the goal, Columbia (1-3-1) appeared to pick up right where it left off from Monday's 1-0 victory over St. John's. The Lions had allowed just one shot on goal through 88 minutes and were the more dangerous side throughout the second half. In the end, three quality chances were all saved by Gianluca Cersosimo and the Sharks (5-2-0) were presented with one final opportunity on a free kick taken from out near the midfield circle. The ensuing ball sent in by Robert Winkler went to the far post and found the head of a leaping Jaaskelainen, who headed his shot back across the face of goal for the breakthrough with just 66 seconds remaining.
 
"The game is won and lost in critical moments. I think we created enough of those moments to put ourselves on the scoreboard – they created the one opportunity that they needed and they took advantage of it," Columbia head coach Kevin Anderson said. "That's the hard part of this game and that's what it comes down to, those critical moments."
 
Columbia's first big opportunity came on the counter in the 54th minute. A cross put into the area fell to Ben Sidley at the top of the box. Sidley played it through on the volley between two defenders to Will DeNight, whose point-blank shot from eight yards could only be kept out by a reactionary save off the shoulder of Cersosimo. Eleven minutes later, Sidley drove into the area himself and took a left-footed strike from 15 yards that came within Cersosimo's reach.
 
With the game inside its final 10 minutes, Jake Novoshelski and Ryan Wallace nearly hooked up for the go-ahead goal. A quick throw on the far side to Novoshelski resulted in the junior floating a ball across the box for Wallace near the top of the six. Wallace leapt and got a quality header down toward his left, but Cersosimo was, again, in position to grab it with a dive to his right.
 
"I felt like guys followed what we asked. I think there are moments in every game where you want to try and build and create more quality, whether that's defensively, individually or collectively in the attack," Anderson stated. "They did what we asked, we just need that last bit of quality in those critical moments."
 
The Lions hit the road for their next two matches, beginning Tuesday when they visit Drexel. Kickoff from Philadelphia is set for 6 p.m. ET.
 
For the latest on Columbia men's soccer, be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@CULionsMSOC), on Facebook (ColumbiaMensSoccer), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.