JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Abdi Bahur assisted on all three East Tennessee State goals — including two 20 minutes apart in the second half — to spoil the Longwood men's soccer team's debut under first-year head coach Paul Gilbert 3-1 at Summers-Taylor Stadium on Thursday
The Lancers scored first in an up-tempo opening half that saw them control play in the early going.
Incarnate Word graduate transfer Anthony Vargas headed home classmate Diego Vargas' lofted cross in the 18th minute for a 1-0 lead. The play began as the Lancers kept the ball in the offensive third of the field following a corner kick. The ball was played wide on the right prior to junior Paul Espinoza finding Diego Vargas, who found Anthony Vargas in the middle of the six-yard box for a header into the upper right, past the outstretched arms of ETSU goalkeeper Marc Kouadio.
The goal was the second career tally for Anthony Vargas, whose only other marker, coincidentally, came with UIW on Sept. 5, 2021 against Kouadio when he was playing for Dayton.
The teams went into half knotted, 1-1, as Ingvar Kolbjornsen beat Longwood junior goalie Max Henke in the 35th minute. Bahur beat his defender after Gabriel Ramos played a high-flying ball to him and slipped it to Kolbjornsen.
The Buccaneers had 53 percent of possession in the half and led 10-8 in total shots and 4-2 in shots on target.
ETSU took the lead through Zayd Idlibi in the 57th minute, again assisted by Ramos and Bahur. This time, Bahur, charging down the flank, crossed it to Ramos on the far side of the box, who brought the ball down and guided it into the path of Idlibi.
The Bucs put the match away in the 77th minute as Henrique Cruz earned a tap-in goal following Bahur bulling his way into the area and drawing the defense.
ETSU outshot the Lancers, 17-11, but Longwood held a 9-8 advantage in corner kicks for the match.
Kouadio earned the victory in the ETSU nets, making two saves, while Hinke took the loss despite stopping four shots.
The Lancers are back in action Monday, opening their home slate in a 7 p.m., kickoff against Liberty at the Longwood Athletics Complex.
