Kevin Larsson’s Brace Lifts No. 25 Kentucky to 2-1 Upset win Over No. 20 Georgia Southern
STATESBORO, Ga. – The 25th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats (8-2-3, 5-1-0 SBC) picked up their second ranked win of the 2025 season in a 2-1 upset win over the No. 20 Georgia Southern Eagles (10-3-1, 3-3-0 SBC) tonight in Statesboro.
The win over the Eagles keeps the Wildcats in a three-way tie for the top spot in the Sun Belt Conference with West Virginia and Marshall, with each team currently sitting on 15 points from five conference wins.
Entering the final three games of the regular season, the upcoming schedule for Kentucky features a meeting with No. 10 West Virginia this Sunday in Lexington, followed by a senior night matchup against Georgia State on Halloween and a road trip to Norfolk, Va. to take on the Old Dominion Monarchs on Nov. 4.
In what proved to be a very offensive, free flowing first half, the Wildcats were able to control the pace of play during the early going, gaining a 55-45% advantage in the possession department in the opening 45 minutes. In the 20th minute, midfielder Kevin Larsson opened the scoring with his first career goal in a Wildcat uniform, lasering a shot from the top of the 18-yard box into the back of the net, coming off Josh Gordon’s second assist of the season to put the Cats in front 1-0.
Georgia Southern would, however, equalize just four minutes later from an awarded penalty in the 23rd minute. Wildcat goalkeeper Sebastian Conlon saved the initial attempt from the spot by Eagles’ penalty taker Emil Sorensen, but was unable to keep out the rebound attempt, as Georgia Southern leveled the score at 1-1.
The overall first half stat line would be relatively even at the halftime break, with the Cats leading 7-6 in total shots, an even 3-3 split in shots on goal and both goalkeepers recording a pair of saves.
After the intermission, in the 65th minute, coming off an ensuing free kick inside the Georgia Southern final third, the Wildcats received a commanding headed clearance from defender Owen Mikoy, unlocking a counterattack by midfielder Agustin Lopez. Lopez sent in a ball across the Georgia Southern goal, after a coast-to-coast run, that was deflected by Eagles’ goalkeeper Nate Martinez right into the path of Larsson, who tapped in his second goal of the night to restore the Cats’ lead, as well as the first brace of his Wildcat career, with 25 minutes to play.
Seven minutes later, the 72nd minute, Conlon came up big once again for the Wildcats, making a huge save from a Georgia Southern free kick just outside the penalty area, tipping the shot over the crossbar, maintaining the one-goal lead for UK.
Heroic defending from the Wildcats backline down the stretch of the match kept the Eagles from grabbing a late equalizer and helped seal a massive conference win on the road against a top 20 opponent.
The final stat line for Kentucky finished at two goals for Larsson, with assists to Gordon and Lopez, 12 total shots, including five on frame, a steady 55-45% advantage in possession and four saves from Conlon in goal.
The Wildcats will return to The Bell this Sunday, Oct. 26 for a rivalry night matchup against the No. 10 West Virginia Mountaineers in Lexington at 7 p.m. ET.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s soccer team, follow @UKMensSoccer on X, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.
