NEW YORK — The Columbia men's soccer team scored a goal in each half to defeat visiting Manhattan University, 2-0, on Monday night at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium.
 
Junior Jack McDaid opened the scoring in the game's 11th minute on the very first shot attempt of the night by either team. The Lions earned a corner that was taken short from Andres Garcia to Joao Lima. After a few quick passes between the two, Lima sent a driving ball into the center of the area that McDaid redirected off his head and perfectly inside the far post. It was McDaid's first goal of the season.
 
It was just the start to an opening 45 minutes that Columbia (1-1-2) largely controlled. Over the opening 30 minutes, the Lions outshot the Jaspers (1-4-1) by a margin of 6-1.
 
Columbia keeper Dean Kelliher made his first save of the night on a short-hopped shot in the 39th minute. It was one of three stops he made on the evening en route to his second shutout, both of which have come at home.
 
The Lions kept firing in the second half, relentlessly creating chances and shot opportunities at times. There was a 15-minute span early in the half where the Lions were credited with eight straight shot attempts. In total, they would take 23 shots on the night, their most in a game in eight years.
 
Columbia's constant pressure would pay off late. The Lions earned a corner after a shot from in close by Ryan Yang resulted in Columbia's eighth corner of the night. This time, it was Luke Zielinski sending the ball in. His outswinger met the head of Jack McDaid on the near side of the box. McDaid's headed pass found the foot of first year Stepan Kapranov in the center of the area, who put the game to bed by driving home his first collegiate goal.
 
"Every day in training, we've honestly been working on set pieces, and that's why I'm so happy to have executed some tonight," said McDaid, who scored the first and assisted the second. "We've been training very hard on that … The team put in a great effort tonight, and that just comes from our two leaders, Carmine [Falco] and Jackson [ten Oever]. They constantly get us fired up, and our coaches constantly get us fired up. They just constantly want us to outwork teams. I think that has become our identity here."
 
The victory moves Columbia's unbeaten streak to three games, its longest since winning five straight during the 2018 season.

Columbia makes the short trip across the George Washington Bridge on Thursday to take on Fairleigh Dickinson (3-2-2). First kick at University Stadium in Teaneck is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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