University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
1-0-0, 0-0-0
Howard
0-1-0, 0-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Delaware | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Men's Soccer Defeats Howard to Open 2026
8/20/2026 10:01:00 PM | Men's Soccer
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware men's soccer team kicks off its 2026 season by defeating Howard by a score of 1-0 on Thursday.
With the win, the Fightin' Blue Hens overall record becomes 1-0-0.
"It's a game we felt we should have put away earlier in terms of the result, but I'm gad the boys got what they deserved in the end" head coach Tommy McMemeny said. "I felt we lacked movement and sharpness in the first half, and Howard made it hard for us in difficult weather conditions. Our response after the break was superb, and we were able to pin them in and create 8-10 high quality chances. The sharpness in front of goal will come, but today was about getting the result as we try to get the team back to full strength."
HEN HIGHLIGHTS
- Liam Penny scored the only goal of the game in the 83rd minute off of assists from Luke Jones and Sean Smith. Jones' assists is the first of his career.
- German Argueta, Frederik Flaskager, and Edwin Flores recorded their first collegiate starts.
- Widrick made his first start in goal as a Blue Hen.
- Jayden Jackson made his first appearance for Delaware, while Jones recorded his first collegiate minutes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Blue Hens and Bison were knotted up at zero a piece after the first half.
- It wasn't until the 83rd minute of play that Penny headed the ball to the back of the net for his third-career goal.
GAME NOTES
- This is the ninth-consecutive home win for the Blue & Gold, after the team went undefeated (8-0) on Grant last season.
- UD continues to be undefeated in home openers and on Thursdays under McMenemy.
- McMenemy is now 3-0 against Howard in his time at Delaware.
UP NEXT
The men's soccer program hosts Temple on Sunday, August 23rd for a noon non-conference game. The game will be streamed on The Summit League Network (Midco Sports Plus).
TICKETS
Click here to purchase tickets for the 2026 season.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware men's soccer, follow the Fightin' Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
Liam Penny (1)
Assisted By: Sean Smith , Luke Jones
GOAL by DEL Penny, Liam Assist by Smith, Sean and Jones, Luke.
82:54
