Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

When Deandre Kerr and Manel Busquets departed at the end of last season, the Orange were faced with a number of question marks. How could they replace the production of their two leading goal scorers? 

Kerr rejoined his childhood club to play in the MLS and Busquets moved back to Spain. Freshmen forwards Julius Rauch and Francesco Pagano returned, but they only started a combined three matches all last season. 

To replenish his attack, Ian McIntyre utilized the transfer portal to bring in Levonte Johnson (Seattle) and a pair of junior college products in Nathan Opoku (Lindsey Wilson College) and Lorenzo Boselli (Dallas College-Richland). 

Against UConn (2-2-0, 0-0 Big East), No. 15 Syracuse’s (3-0-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) new and old forwards shined as the Orange won 5-0. Every SU forward who has appeared in a game this season scored or tallied an assist against UConn. 

Against Vermont on Sept. 2, Syracuse struggled to capitalize on chances and scored just once off seven shots, its fewest in almost a year. But against the Huskies, the Orange scored its most goals in any game this year. Despite being outshot 19 to 11, the Orange actually had more shots on target than the Huskies (9 to 7).

Syracuse and UConn played a tight contest in the early going, but the Orange broke the scoreless tie in the 15th minute with a goal from Colin Biros. Biros also scored the 80th-minute game-winning goal against then-No. 21 Penn State on Aug. 28. 

Noah Singelmann streaked down the right sideline before finding Jeorgio Kocevski among four other SU players in the box. Kocevski flicked the ball just behind him to Biros, who had a few yards of room to work with at the penalty spot. Biros spun and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner to give Syracuse a 1-0 lead.

14 minutes later, Johnson sprinted downfield with Giona Leibold to his left and Opoku running some fifteen yards ahead of him, flanked by three defenders. Opoku had a step on his man and signaled for a pass. Johnson delivered a perfect through ball, slicing right between two Husky defenders. Opoku received the ball near the top of the box and took a touch before depositing the ball into the bottom left just as his defender converged on him.

This was the third time that the new starting forward duo of Johnson and Opoku had combined to score a goal. Against Iona, Johnson tapped a long throw in to Opoku, who spun around his defender and curved a slightly deflected shot into the bottom left. And in Syracuse’s most recent match against Vermont, Opoku sparked a counterattack before laying the ball off to Johnson, who finished off the crossbar for SU’s lone goal of the match. 

Opoku has a goal or an assist (two of each) in each of Syracuse’s first four matches. Johnson’s only goal this season (against Vermont) was assisted by Opoku, and both of his assists were also to the Ghana native.

Just three minutes after Opoku’s goal, Boselli scored his first goal in a Syracuse uniform. Across the first three matches of the season, he had picked up a start and played 138 minutes but hadn’t tallied a goal or an assist yet. Boselli’s goal was assisted by Curt Calov, who picked up two assists in his second appearance of the season.

Although UConn led Syracuse in shots taken at halftime, the Orange held a comfortable 3-0 lead as Husky goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert struggled.

Early in the second half, the Huskies threatened to cut into SU’s advantage. Preseason All-Big East selection Mateo Leveque unleashed a beautiful one-timer from just outside the box that ricocheted directly to a waiting Okem Chime. Chime tapped it home, but only got about two steps into his celebration before being whistled for offsides.

Rauch joined in on the fun in the 73rd minute with his second goal of the campaign. He also scored the game-sealing goal in the second half against Iona. Mere minutes later, Pagano scored his first goal of the season to increase Syracuse’s lead to 5-0. The only forward on the Syracuse roster who didn’t contribute a goal or assist was freshman Andrea DiBlasio, who has never appeared in a game.

Published on September 5, 2022 at 10:24 pm

Contact Connor: cpignate@syr.edu