Milwaukee City Wire

The Milwaukee men's soccer team is set to begin a three-game homestand at Engelmann Stadium on Friday evening, starting with a match against Eastern Illinois University (EIU). The game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. kickoff, but there will be no video stream available due to other home events. Fans can follow live statistics through links provided on the Milwaukee website.

Milwaukee holds an 8-6-1 all-time advantage over EIU and has remained unbeaten in their last eight meetings, going 7-0-1 since 1993. Their most recent encounter was in October 2019, where Milwaukee secured a 2-0 victory.

Eastern Illinois enters the contest following a difficult previous season, finishing with a record of 2-12-2 and placing 1-8-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Ruy Vaz, named head coach in February 2025 after leading Cowley College to five conference championships from 2018 to 2024, now leads EIU. This season, EIU has started with three losses and has yet to score its first goal.

Milwaukee extended its home unbeaten streak to ten matches (6-0-4) after drawing Northern Illinois on August 21. This marks their longest such streak at Engelmann Stadium since the team won eleven straight spanning the end of the 2004 campaign into the start of the next season.

The Panthers are adjusting offensively this year as several top scorers from last season have departed due to graduation or transfer. Bienvenu Djunga is Milwaukee's leading returning scorer after tallying nine points last year. Returning players accounted for roughly one-third of goals and assists from last season and just over half of total minutes played.

Defensively, Milwaukee led the Horizon League last season by allowing only 1.16 goals per game. Key returners include Daiki Kumakawa, Jack Wagner, Ryan Berghauer, Mitch Goodman, and Breon Jarvis—all with significant starting experience.

Goalkeeper Daniel Ibarra played nearly every minute last year but is succeeded by transfer Nic Diana for this campaign. Diana previously started for Purdue Fort Wayne and posted a conference-leading goals-against average while earning six shutouts last season.

The roster continues to reflect international diversity with student-athletes representing eight countries or territories beyond the United States.

Historically strong at home, Milwaukee finished last season unbeaten at Engelmann Stadium (6-0-3). The program’s best recent home record was in 2019 (6-1-1), while its only perfect home slate came in 2002 (13-0).

Milwaukee maintains notable rivalries including annual contests for both the "Milwaukee Cup" against Marquette—ranked among college soccer’s top rivalries—and the Chancellor’s Cup versus Green Bay.

The Panthers opened their current campaign with a four-game unbeaten run—their best start since beginning the 2013 season undefeated through ten games—and continue league play next week against Cleveland State after hosting Chicago State midweek.

Six of nine Milwaukee home games this season are scheduled for live streaming via ESPN+, subject to changes related to weather or venue availability. The Horizon League maintains an agreement that allows ESPN+ subscribers access to championship events across several sports categories via https://www.espn.com/espnplus/.

According to head coach Kris Kelderman: "In addition to the wins over Purdue Fort Wayne (2020), WIU (2017–2019), Eastern Illinois (2016), Evansville (2015), DePaul (2014) and a nationally-ranked Marquette squad (2013), his Green Bay squad topped SIU Edwardsville, 1–0, in 2011."

Milwaukee fans can follow upcoming matches at Engelmann Stadium as part of this early-season homestand.