Nashville, TN -- The Bradley Braves fall on the road to Belmont 2-1 after late goal.
Bradley rallied to tie the match in the second half, but Belmont scored in the closing minutes to secure a 2-1 victory over the Braves on Sunday evening at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville, Tennessee.
After a relatively quiet first half in terms of scoring, Belmont controlled much of the possession and generated the majority of the attacking opportunities. The Bruins recorded nine shots in the opening 45 minutes, while Bradley managed three, with Mitch Coughlon, Adrian Franks, and Fjölnir Sigurjónsson each attempting a shot on goal.
Belmont struck first in the 63rd minute when John McDowell converted a penalty kick following a challenge by
Adrian Franks to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. However, the Braves responded in the 80th minute when
Anel Kafedzic found the back of the net to even the score at 1-1. The goal came after a tremendous hustle play by Braden Missry, who kept a free kick in play and helped circulate the ball back into the box.
Cohen Musschoot and
Stephen Saladin were credited with assists on Kafedzic's goal.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Belmont delivered the decisive blow with just over two minutes remaining. Jaxon Stokes scored his second goal of the season at 87:42, volleying a shot from just beyond the penalty area into the net. Nzuhri Biggar and Nate Mefford assisted on the game-winning goal, putting the Bruins back in front late.
Belmont controlled much of the attacking play, finishing with a 22-9 advantage in shots and a 10-4 edge in shots on goal. Bradley goalkeeper Marcal Salom Chandre recorded eight saves to keep the Braves within striking distance, while Belmont's Brody Sucher made three saves.
Bradley will return to action on October 15 when the Braves host Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) for Field Trip Day. The match will not be streamed, and Bradley Athletics encourages fans to attend in person or follow the action through the department's social media accounts.
