What an incredible feat for our JCU Men’s Soccer team last night! An exciting game that saw JCU earn a remarkable 3-4 win over the University of Foro Italico (UFI), the current top team in the Universities of Rome Championship.

Our Gladiators couldn’t have ended the semester in a better way, as a definite proof of their hard work and athletics talent.

In the first minutes of the game, JCU mostly dominated the match, immediately gaining the upper hand with three spectacular goals. A solid and strong free kick by Captain Josè Pablo Ortega gave JCU the perfect head start, taking the result 0-1 in favor of our Gladiators. JCU kept pressing, leaving no chance to the opponents to move towards its side of the pitch. UFI defence wasn’t able to react, and JCU forward Brooks Hoffman exploited the situation who decisively kicked the ball straight into UFI goal post. Brooks was unstoppable, and soon after, he scored again on a corner kick.

However, the opponents didn’t want to give up easily, and they clawed their way back into the game with their best player who scored twice, closing the gap in the score difference. Nothing seemed to stop our Gladiators, though. Right before the end of the first half, Captain Josè scored again, taking the result to 2-4.

In the second half, the game started to change with UFI trying their best to tie the result and brought the match on a more physical and aggressive level. Our Gladiators didn’t respond well. UFI was able to obtain two penalty kicks, but JCU goalkeepr, Isaac Cleveland, excellently foresaw the direction of the ball and blocked to UFI the opportunity to score on the first penalty kick, which, instead, centerd the goal in the second one.

On a 3-4 temporary result, JCU lined up well in defence, and there was nothing to do for the opposing team that had to give in to JCU players’ amzing performance!

Congratulations, Gladiators! Last night, you definitely showed what you are capable of. You know how to win when the game gets tough. We are really proud of each one of you!

We want to give thanks to the entire team for your commitment and passion and for representing John Cabot University with our Soccer team. We will miss those of you who will leave us next semester; you have been a great contribution to the team, so thank you!

For those of you who will stay, we hope that last-night game is only the first of a long series of future victories. The tournament is still open, and if you keep this energy and attitude, we are sure you will do great things in the second half of the Season. Plus, Spring 2019 is your chance to represent JCU abroad in the ACG International Sports Festival in Athens. So be ready, Gladiators!

**Special thanks to JCU soccer player Giuseppe Celi for sending us a thourough and nice report of the match.