No. 10 Kentucky Picks Up First C-USA Win, Winning 3-1 Against UAB on Sunday

LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 10 Kentucky and the University of Alabama-Birmingham traded goals in the early going, but a Daniel Evans finish late in the first half and a Lucca Rodrigues header in the final moments of the match secured all three points for the home Wildcats in a crucial conference clash on Sunday at The Bell. 

The win was UK’s first conference victory of the season having drawn twice away at elite sides Coastal Carolina and No. 5 Marshall earlier this year. 

Kentucky won its second match in a row and improved to 7-0-2 (1-0-2 C-USA). UAB dropped to 2-7 (0-2 C-USA). Coastal Carolina tops the league table on seven points (played five), followed by Florida International University (Six points from two games). UK and Marshall each have five points from three games). 

Martin Soereide wasted no time getting on the score sheet for the first time in his UK career. Two minutes into the game opened the scoring after some nice combination play between Jansen Wilson and Luke Andrews.  

Curtis DeLeon equalized for the visitors three minutes later, but Evans put the Wildcats ahead just before the break smashing home a brilliant Ben Damge cross. 

Lucca Rodrigues headed home a Mason Visconti corner kick with six minutes to play to ensure the hosts would take all three points for the first time in a league game this season. 

UK goalkeeper Jan Hoffelner made just two saves, while UK fired 14 shots on the UAB goal. 

Kentucky will play its penultimate non-conference match of the regular season on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET when Lipscomb visits The Bell.  

Admission to all 2021 UK soccer matches at Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex is free to the public.  

For the latest on the Kentucky men’s soccer team, follow?@UKMensSoccer?on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.