As the French and Ghanaian flags flew in the Indiana student section at Bill Armstrong Stadium, junior forward Stephane Njike and senior forward Collins Oduro made their season debuts for No. 14 Indiana men’s soccer Thursday.
Though the French Njike and the Ghanaian Oduro didn’t record their names on the scoresheet, the pair provided an attacking boost for the Hoosiers. Njike’s three shots and Oduro’s two added to Indiana’s 33 total shots in its 1-0 victory over Butler University.
“Those two just add another element to our attack,” Indiana head coach Todd Yeagley said postgame. “And when we weren't able to find it, having them on the field makes a big difference for us.”
After dressing in black street clothes during Indiana’s opening two games, Njike returned to the pitch in Yeagley’s starting 11. The Paris, France, native showed his speed and abilities early.
In the 8th minute, junior forward Easton Bogard played a through ball past Butler’s defense and into the sprinting feet of Njike. With the ball at his feet, Njike raced past the Bulldogs’ backline, but his shot was turned away by Butler redshirt junior goalkeeper Brooks Boersma.
Boersma was Indiana’s nemesis throughout the match, as Butler’s keeper finished the match with 14 saves. Coming into the match, Boersma had only one save on three shots in the Bulldogs’ first two matches to start the season.
Njike produced another shot attempt in the 22nd minute. Senior forward Oliver Moller-Jensen played a cross from the right into the box, giving a chance to strike the ball on the volley. However, Njike mistimed the ball. Bogard then had a chance on net, but Boersma made an easy save.
Njike has an innate ability on the offensive end, shown by a seven-goal, seven-assist season with Maryland last year. The marks landed him on the All-Big Ten first team and helped him become a top commodity in the transfer portal.
Yeagley and the Indiana program saw his abilities first-hand on the field last season during the Hoosiers’ 3-2 loss at Maryland. Njike scored in the 75th minute to put the game away for the Terrapins.
“Every team (Njike)’s been on, he’s impacted in a positive way,” head coach Todd Yeagley said during a press conference Aug. 4. “I think he’s really excited to have some stability and be somewhere for a while.”
Entering the transfer portal for the third time in his career — after additional stints with Marshall University and Long Island University — Njike became a top priority for Yeagley and his staff this offseason. After Njike committed to the Hoosiers, a flurry of other top portal targets gave Indiana the top-ranked collection of players, according to TopDrawerSoccer.
Moller-Jensen's 11 shots Thursday night led the team. None of his chances found the back of the net, but his four shots on goal helped chip away at Boersma throughout the match.
“Thought we played really well offensively,” Yeagley said. “The other games, obviously, we had three goals in both but didn't create the volume and chances.”
In previous matches against the University of Evansville and the University of Notre Dame, the Hoosiers also didn’t have Oduro filling a spot in the starting 11 on the wing.
Oduro entered the match in the 28th minute, stepping onto the Jerry Yeagley Field for the first time in a match since Indiana crashed out of last season’s NCAA Tournament against Saint Louis University.
After sustaining injuries in the offseason, Oduro showed advanced technical skills in only 31 minutes. The 5-foot-7 Oduro placed his first shot off-target in the 39th minute before his latter attempt in the 81st minute was off the mark.
“His final third sharpness is a little bit off,” Yeagley said. “And I think we'll get that back as we give him more regular reps. I just love that he has a space. He was energetic. He was just so happy to play.”
Oduro showcased his speed in the 74th minute after getting past Butler’s backline due to a nice through ball from junior midfielder Charlie Heuer. Down the left side, Oduro brushed past Bulldogs but fell to the ground after contact with Butler sophomore midfielder Max Klein.
With Yeagley and the Hoosier faithful at Bill Armstrong Stadium voicing their displeasure and receiving no foul call, Oduro kept his head down and helped Indiana find chances in the final third.
In the 80th minute, Oduro played a pass down the right side for a sprinting Moller-Jensen up the field. With a chance inside the box, Moller-Jensen's shot lifted over the bar, but Oduro’s pass generated a shot on goal.
Five minutes later, Oduro exited the game for fifth-year defender Brecklin Minzey. But in only 31 minutes, Oduro showcased flashes of his four-goal production from last season.
“Collins opened the game up,” Yeagley said. “I think his first touch of the game, he's able to break through. He's just so explosive, and you know he's not being able to train a lot.”
After two consecutive clean sheets and three games at home, Indiana finally takes the road on Monday against the University of Louisville. The Cardinals enter the match with a 3-0-0 record after defeating Lipscomb University 3-1 Thursday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Follow reporters Noah Boudouris (@noahboudouris and nboudour@iu.edu) and Sean McAvoy (@sean_mc07 and semcavoy@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s soccer season.
