Columbia University’s men’s soccer team will play its first home game of the 2025 season on Friday night, facing Villanova at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Fans who cannot attend in person can watch the game live on ESPN+ or follow live statistics on GoColumbiaLions.com. Updates will also be available through the team’s social media accounts.
Columbia enters the match with a record of 0-1-0 after losing its season opener last week at Lehigh. First-year player Henning Myrvang scored in his collegiate debut, giving Columbia an early lead before Lehigh responded with two goals in the second half to secure a 2-1 victory.
Myrvang became the first Columbia first-year to score in a season opener since Ryan Kipness did so against George Washington in 2021. Alongside Myrvang, Stepan Kapranov and Sage Kinner also made their first collegiate starts last week, marking the first time since 2022 that three first-years started in a season opener for Columbia. Two additional players, Amir Yahalom and Yianni Goulandris, made their debuts off the bench.
Villanova arrives unbeaten this season with a record of 2-0-1, having played all matches at home so far. The Wildcats opened with a 5-0 win over Rider, drew 1-1 against Iona, and most recently defeated Saint Joseph’s with a late goal by Sam Nyenka—his third goal of the year. Nyenka was named Philly Soccer Six Player of the Week following his performance against Rider. Luke Martinelli received BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors after scoring and helping maintain a shutout in that same match. Freshman Gleb Bogdanov was recognized as Philly Six Rookie of the Week.
Currently, Villanova ranks No. 18 nationally in goal differential (+6) and No. 19 in goals against average (0.333). Nyenka’s three goals place him No. 13 among NCAA players this season.
This meeting marks only the third time Columbia and Villanova have faced each other; Villanova has won both previous encounters by one-goal margins, including last year’s dramatic finish where Jorge Garcia scored for Villanova in the final minute to clinch victory.
The Lions return much of their roster from last year: twenty-two players are back, including eighteen who played eight or more matches and ten who started at least half of last season’s games. Senior goalkeeper Dean Kelliher returns after starting nine matches last year—including earning his first career shutout—and Alexander O’Brien also returns after starting four matches as a rookie.
Defensively, seniors Carmine Falco and Joe McDaid are joined by Jack McDaid, Jackson ten Oever, and Andrew Hilton II—all five started at least twelve games last year; Falco and Joe McDaid started every match. Jack McDaid and ten Oever led the team with two goals each; McDaid earned Second Team All-Ivy League honors while ten Oever received Honorable Mention recognition.
On offense, senior Ryan Yang, senior Joao Lima (who recorded one goal and one assist), sophomore Luke Zielinski, and senior Alessandro Franciosa all return after starting at least half of last year’s games. Despite returning nearly ninety percent of their scoring from last season—nine total goals—the Lions aim to improve offensive output this year.
Team captains for this season are senior Carmine Falco—who has appeared in thirty-eight matches—and junior Jackson ten Oever—a Brooklyn native recognized as an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention and Academic All-District selection last year.
Eight newcomers join Columbia for 2025: goalkeeper Aris Taki; defenders Conor Owen and Sage Kinner; midfielders Yianni Goulandris, Stepan Kapranov, Oli Sacks, Amir Yahalom; forward Henning Myrvang.
Head coach Michael Casper enters his third season leading Columbia men’s soccer as he seeks continued progress for the program following an Ivy League win over Yale that ended a five-year conference drought last fall.
The program is entering its seventy-eighth varsity campaign since being established in 1906—with interruptions between 1916–1957—and has achieved ten Ivy League championships along with thirteen NCAA Tournament appearances throughout its history.
