Olajide Gives Terriers 2OT Win Against NJIT
Brooklyn Heights, NY - - -St. Francis Brooklyn forward Yussuf Olajide scored with 6:31 left in double-overtime to give the host Terriers a 2-1 victory against the NJIT Highlanders, in a non-conference contest at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 5 on Wednesday evening.
The game-winner was set-up by senior defender Fabian Suele, who delivered a gorgeous feed through the center of the pitch to the streaking Olajide. The senior blew past his defender and gave himself a one-on-one opportunity with NJIT goalkeeper Victor Pujades. Olajide, who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday, deposited the ball into the lower right corner of the net past the charging Highlanders' netminder.
NJIT (3-2-1) controlled most of the opening half and took a 1-0 advantage in the 12th minute when junior midfielder Mamadou Guirassy gathered a deflection in the box, and beat Terriers' keeper Seth Erdman with a rocket to the upper left corner of the net.
The Terriers (2-3-1) took their first shot in the closing seconds when senior defender Collyns Laokandi ran under a cross from junior midfielder Federico Curbelo and nearly scored on a header.
The second-half was a completely different story as St. Francis Brooklyn went on the attack and dictated much of the action.
After knocking on the door, the hosts got the equalizer in the 66th minute as freshman defender Faouzi Taieb scored his first goal as a Terrier. Senior midfielder Sal Barone sent a beautiful corner kick to the far post and Taieb was left all alone to head the ball into the lower left corner of the net.
Sophomore midfielder Djiby Sarr almost gave St. Francis Brooklyn the lead in the closing minutes as his hard shot to the left side of the net trickled just wide of the post with 9:03 remaining.
Neither team had any scoring opportunities in the first ten minute overtime, and the Terriers capitalized on the game's only chance of the final overtime period.
NJIT outshot the Terriers by an 11-6 margin and took nine corners compared to five by St. Francis Brooklyn.
Erdman played extremely well in net making four saves while Pujades was asked to make two for the Highlanders.
The contest was very physical as the squads combined for 36 fouls and four yellow cards.
The Red & Blue will host Army on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
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