WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Junior Sukrija Dudic (Richmond, Va./Hermitage) scored two goals on Tuesday afternoon, including a late game-winner with 33 seconds left in regulation to carry the University of New Haven men's soccer team past the American International Yellow Jackets in a Northeast-10 match.
 
In an emotion filled contest, New Haven struck first in the 33^rd minute when Dudic tapped in a one-time pass into the left side of the net from sophomore Pablo Perez (Medellin, Columbia/West Haven) from the inside right edge of the box.
 
American International came out hard out of the locker room with four corner kick opportunities and two shots within three minutes early in the second half. New Haven did not give in as sophomore goalkeeper Stefano Lorusso (Auckland, New Zealand/Sacred Heart College) came up with three big saves in the second half to keep it scoreless.
 
With a 1-0 New Haven lead and time ticking against AIC, the Yellow Jackets drew a foul nearly 30 yards out from the goal line to initiate a free kick. Midfielder Connor Hicks served the ball toward the center of the goal and senior Kevin Diaz flicked the ball in with his head, leveling the match at one goal a piece with 1:06 remaining on the clock.
 
After a trip up and down the field, graduate student Simao Sousa Branca (Porto, Portugal/Colegio Luso Internacional do Porto) left footed a long ball from way down field that took one bounce, and Dudic caught up and was able to head the ball just higher than Yellow Jacket keeper's hand. The goal, finding its way into the mesh with 37 seconds remaining, would prove to be the game-winner for the Chargers to secure their first victory of the season. 

New Haven had the edge on shots, 15-10 on the day, with six of those shots on target. Lorusso finished with four saves on net for the Chargers.
 
The Chargers look for win number two at Franklin Pierce on Saturday, September 30^th at Sodexo Field. Kickoff for the NE10 match is slated for 7:00 pm.