CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sophomore Alessandro Arlotti and junior Willem Ebbinge each scored a goal, senior goalkeeper Oskar Nilsson recorded the shutout, and Harvard University men's soccer beat Central Connecticut State University in its season and home opener on Saturday afternoon at Jordan Field.
 
The Crimson (1-0-0) scored in the 27^th minute off Arlotti's tally and doubled its lead in the 49^th minute on Ebbinge's goal to top the Blue Devils (2-1-0) in the season opener for the second straight year.

Harvard Highlights

• Sophomore Alessandro Arlotti scored his first goal of the season and his 10^th career tally with his goal at the 26:34 mark. He also notched his seventh career game-winning goal after totaling nine goals and six game winners in 2021.
• Junior Willem Ebbinge netted his first goal of the year and fifth of his career with his tally at the 47:33 mark.
• Sophomore Kristján Gunnarsson posted his first collegiate point with an assist on Arlotti's goal.
• Sophomore Marko Isakovic notched an assist for his second collegiate point, providing the secondary helper on Arlotti's goal.
• Senior goalkeeper Oskar Nilsson tallied his third career shutout after notching two clean sheets in 2021. He made one save in the contest.
• Harvard held advantages in shots (27-3), shots on goal (10-1), and corner kicks (10-4).
• Among the Crimson's field players junior defender Nik White and sophomore defender Jan Riecke each played the full 90 minutes.
• Harvard improved to 4-3-1 all-time vs. CCSU. 

How It Happened

• The Crimson controlled play throughout the first half, holding a 15-0 edge in shots and 5-0 lead in shots on goal.
• Harvard generated multiple early chances with a shot off a free kick from Ebbinge ricocheting off the wordwork in the 23^rd minute.
• The hosts broke through in the 27^th minute with Arlotti's goal. After Isakovic controlled the ball in the attacking third, Gunnarsson sent a cross into the box from the right side where an oncoming Arlotti headed the ball into the back of the net.
• The Crimson extended its lead to 2-0 in the 49^th minute as Ebbinge won the ball off the Blue Devils' in the attacking third, beat his defender, and slid a shot into the left side of the net.
• Harvard continued to pressure the Blue Devils in the second half with a shot from junior Ale Gutierrez glancing off the woodwork in the 65^th minute to highlight those chances.

Next Up

Harvard hosts Bryant on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+) at Jordan Field.