NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Yale's Eric Lagos netted two second-half goals, including the game-winner in the 82nd minute, and the Columbia men's soccer team was defeated by the Bulldogs, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at Reese Stadium.
All three of the game's goals came in the final 30 minutes. Lagos' first came on a headed volley off a ball drilled into the box by Max Rogers. After a good spell of possession, the Lions earned an equalizer when Chad Baker's cross from the near corner skipped through the box to Joao Lima. The sophomore from Brazil blasted it high into the net to level things up.
Less than three minutes later, Rogers found Lagos again for what proved to be the game-winner. Quanah Brayboy got it started, poking the ball away from the Lions near midfield. He played it ahead for Lagos, who made the quick decision to fire the ball toward the box. His cross got over Columbia's back line to the foot of Lagos, who poked it past the onrushing Michael Collodi. The Lions had no second answer.
"I'm proud of the effort and the way we clawed back from going down a goal," first-year Columbia head coach Michael Casper said. "I thought we scored a really good goal and I thought we saw some of our finest attacking moments of the season today. We have to continue to build upon that and get more chances off those possessions."
Despite Yale holding a 6-1 shot advantage at the half, neither team put a shot on goal until Rogers hit one right at Collodi in the 53rd minute. The Lions did well to maintain their shape and make things difficult for the home side.
Yale (7-5-2, 2-1-2 Ivy) moved into a four-way tie with Penn, Cornell and Harvard for first place in the Ivy League standings at eight points. Brown and Dartmouth are right behind them with seven points. The loss officially eliminated the Lions (2-7-3, 0-4-1 Ivy) from postseason contention.
"Giving up the second goal was tough and full credits to Yale and the goal scorer," Casper said. "They had the quality to unlock us but I was disappointed to concede so quickly after we scored.
"We get to finish with two games at home where we've performed well this season."
Columbia is 2-1-2 at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium, where it will host Penn (5-3-5, 2-1-2 Ivy) on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
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