The Auburn Tigers return to the pitch on Thursday to host Southern Illinois at 6:30 p.m. CT at the Auburn Soccer Complex for its lone game of the week.
Auburn (1-0-1) opened the season with two strong defensive performances, shutting out both Clemson and Jax State. Auburn goalkeeper Ayana Yapo logged two crucial saves in the 70th and 71st minute in Auburn's 0-0 draw against Clemson to preserve the tie while the Tigers defense limited Jax State to just four shots in Auburn's 5-0 win over the Gamecocks.
Southern Illinois (1-1-0) lost a tough game to Southeast Missouri to open the season on Aug. 13 before rebounding to beat Western Illinois last Sunday, 5-0. Brooke Gosse scored two goals in the win while Nao Katamoto played a role in the game by
assisting with three of the Salukis' goals.
Auburn head coach James Armstrong expects a tough game from the "well-coached" Salukis and understands that his squad needs to play at a high level to avoid an upset.
"(Southern Illinois) will be a possession-oriented team, but maybe with a little bit more of a punch going forward, Armstrong said of Southern Illinois. "They have some international players that have a ton of flair, and then they’ll be resolute defensively."
The Tigers and Salukis will square off Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be live streamed on SEC Network+ and broadcasted over the radiowaves locally in Auburn on WEGL 91.1 FM.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn soccer closes homestand on Thursday against Southern Illinois
