IU controls Denver in 3-1 win behind first career goal from Adu-Gyamfi

Image: Olivia Smith, Hoosier Huddle

The victory was Indiana’s 850th in program history, making the Hoosiers the fastest NCAA program to reach the mark in just 54 seasons.

Indiana controlled the match for most of the night, outshooting Denver 27-9 and putting 15 shots on goal compared to the Pioneers’ four. The Hoosiers also held an 11-1 advantage in corner kicks.

The win moves Indiana to 5-0-1 on the season.

IU spent much of the first half in Denver’s end, forcing the Pioneers to play deep and limiting their opportunities to get forward. The Hoosiers had chances early, with Moller-Jensen forcing multiple saves and Easton Bogard having two close-range attempts blocked after a corner kick in the 15th minute.

Denver goalkeeper Alex Hohl made 10 saves and kept the match scoreless for nearly a half hour, but Indiana finally broke through in the 28th minute.

Alex Matthews sent a corner kick into the box, where Nick McHenry got a shot off that was blocked. Carnevale was in the right spot for the rebound and finished it to put Indiana ahead 1-0.

Denver’s best chance of the first half came a minute later, but Michael Mroz made a diving save to his lower left to preserve the lead.

Indiana pushed its advantage to two in the 55th minute when Adu-Gyamfi scored the first goal of his career. The freshman hit a shot from outside the box into the upper-left corner, leading to an immediate celebration from his teammates.

Denver was unable to create much offense for most of the night, but it got back into the match in the 69th minute. Will King finished one of the Pioneers’ better passing sequences of the night to cut Indiana’s lead to 2-1.

The Pioneers created a couple more threatening opportunities after the goal, including another chance in the 70th minute that Mroz saved. For a brief stretch, Denver looked like it had changed the momentum after spending most of the match defending.

Indiana answered in the 78th minute with one of its most impressive goals of the season.

Collins Oduro beat his defender down the sideline before sending a cross into the box. Moller-Jensen met it with an acrobatic volley to give IU its two-goal lead back and effectively put the match away.

The final minutes got physical. Denver goalkeeper Alex Hohl came off his line and grabbed Bogard outside the box in the 88th minute. Officials initially showed Hohl a red card, but the call was overturned after a handball was ruled against Bogard earlier in the play. A brief scrum followed in the final minute, and Denver’s Ethan Orchard was shown a yellow card.

Indiana secured another win and will open Big Ten play Friday at Michigan.