Syracuse concedes twice in 2nd half in 2-0 defeat to Boston College
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For most of this season, Syracuse men’s soccer has looked in top form.
You look at its results and see multiple two-plus-goal victories, as well as an inspired display with 10 men against a good New Hampshire side. The only blemish came against Atlantic Coast Conference foe Clemson, where the Orange lacked the quality at SU Soccer Stadium to earn their first conference win.
Saturday against Boston College, tabbed the 15th-best team in the 2026 ACC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll, was a prime opportunity to snatch that victory. That’s not to say the Eagles, who also started 2026 well, were a cakewalk. In fact, it was the opposite, as Syracuse (4-3-0, 0-2 ACC) conceded two goals in the second half to fall 2-0 to Boston College (4-1-1, 1-1-0 ACC) in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, Saturday night.
SU had its share of chances at Newton Field. Nineteen shots is the fourth highest it’s produced in 2026, only behind comfortable multi-goal wins against Loyola, Iona and St. John’s. And for a forward line with much to prove entering Ian McIntyre’s 17th season as Syracuse’s head coach, they were a big threat to the Eagles throughout.
Badr Laghjibi, who looked especially bright as a freshman in limited minutes, got his first ACC start alongside Landon Darko. The pair almost teed each other up for the opener in the 12th minute after Darko flicked it into Laghjibi’s path, but his volley was blocked.
Brilliant build-up play from SU’s back three, one highlight of the Orange’s campaign, almost led to a Sachiel Ming goal near the end of the first half. Pedro Gulli, Syracuse’s top goalscorer with three goals in his debut season, had a close-range header brilliantly turned away by Boston College goalkeeper Andrej Borak, and Jordan Grey couldn’t guide the rebound on target.
Easily the better side in the first half, it seemed Syracuse was bound to score its first ACC goal in the second half. But Boston College, which also lost its first conference game — a 2-0 defeat at Virginia on Sept. 4 — did.
A long throw-in by defender Christian Bejar found Ismail Dia’s foot. He drove past Buster Honeywood and Bryson Rodriguez toward the byline and dug a cross toward the back post. Michael Asare, tied for BC’s top goalscorer, had a chest control that pushed him wide, yet he got the goal side of Nathan Scott before moving past the on-rushing Garrett Holman.
Asare’s narrow shot surprisingly beat Kyle Jansen, who put his hands on his head as the Eagles took a 1-0 lead. It’s a goal the Orange could’ve easily prevented even before the ball traveled between Jansen’s legs.
They did still play on the front foot after going a goal down. Dakota Jonke, an experienced front-line addition, had his left-footed half volley saved by Borak mere minutes after conceding. But the Eagles doubled their advantage soon after on very poor Syracuse defending from a corner kick.
Honeywood could only redirect the Eagles’ set piece into BC forward Russell Brown’s path. Jansen tried closing Brown’s angle by rushing out, but Brown wellied it past the junior goalkeeper for a 2-0 Boston College lead.
The Orange still had chances as the match entered its final minutes. But whether it was a spectacular goal-line clearance from Rodriguez’s strike or a golden chance for Holman that spurned, Syracuse remains scoreless in ACC play and winless at Boston College since 1999.
Matches against Colgate and Le Moyne will, for sure, allow SU to build back its scoring prowess that’s been ever-present through most of the season. But it’s still unclear whether Syracuse, which hasn’t won a match it conceded first in, will see its top form translate to ACC matches.
