No. 21/22 Kentucky (7-4-2, 4-2-0 Conference USA) couldn’t find the back of the net, while Marshall (6-5-1, 2-3-0 C-USA) took one chance and held on from there to deal the Wildcats a 1-0 blow on Saturday in a road league match.
Marshall took the lead in the 72nd minute through Lewis Knight who scored his ninth goal of the season, heading home a Jamil Roberts cross.
“It’s a tough one, but you have to give Marshall a lot of credit,” Kentucky head coach Johan Cedergren said. “In the end it’s one of those where we had a really good talk after the game. We’re right on the cusp now of having to find a way when it gets really hard.
“We’ve lost two in a row, we have four to go. Everything to play for still. Very good team, great group of guys, but it’s one of those where right now it is hard. We need guys to get together and we need to push together. I’m disappointed to lose on the road. I thought Marshall played well, their system caused us problems, but I do know that we are too good of a team to lose here 1-0.”
Kentucky’s best chance of the match came with less than a minute to play when the Marshall goalkeeper brilliantly repelled a Kevin Barajas header from close range with his left hand, and then blocked the follow up shot diving to his right to deny Kentucky’s last attack.
The match played out evenly with Marshall the more clinical side in one moment. Kentucky looked best the first 20 minutes or so of the first half, but the hosts worked their way back into the match and that was rewarded with the winning goal.
Marshall outshot UK 11-9, and had a 6-5 advantage in attempts on goal. Kentucky had a 10-9 corner-kick advantage, but didn’t threaten much on those opportunities. Marshall committed 11 fouls compared with 10 by the Wildcats.
The history
UK now leads the all-time series 19-8-3 and is 8-3-2 when playing in Huntington, West Virginia.
UK lost at Marshall for the first time in eight visits.
The next one
Kentucky will return to The Bell next Saturday at 7 p.m. ET against Lipscomb.
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For more information contact:
Jake Most
