West Haven, C.T- After a tough loss on the road, the Chargers returned to their home field to welcome another Northeast-10 Conference opponent, the Greyhounds of Assumption under the lights of Kathy Zolad Stadium. A quick start for the Chargers, would grant them the lead going into half time, and despite Assumption's efforts to outscore them, New Haven would come home with the win thanks to a goal from Augustus McGiff (Brookhaven, N.Y./Bellport).
Aside from other seasons, the Chargers have been known to open up the scoring in numerous games this year, this game included. It would not take long for the Chargers to get on the board, as they found their first goal within four minutes of play off a corner. Making their way down the field, Sandro Branquinho (Covilha, Portugal/Wright State) would track the ball down to the corner, and force the ball out of bounds off a Greyhound defenseman. Taking the ball from the corner, Branquinho would send a kick to the middle of the goal, right into the crowd bunched up in front of the goal mouth. Erik Cederburg would find a touch on the ball, jumping up with a header, to push the ball high past the goalie for the first goal of the game.
After the goal, the game continued to be played back and forth, opportunities from both sides being presented, but strong defense from New Haven would limit Assumption to nil despite their attempts. In the sixteenth minute of play the Chargers would grow their lead, 2-0, when a ball was won back outside of the 50-yard line and brought up by Adam Lindstrom (Orbero, Sweden/Grillska Gymnasiet). With pressure from a defender in the backfield, Lindstrom found Augustus McGiff (Brookhaven, N.Y./Bellport) to his right who would shoot the ball low left, past the dive of the goalkeeper.
Assumption would not find their first goal of the game until the 36th minute of play, when they were awarded a free kick right outside of the box. With a quick kick in from one Assumption player, goalkeeper Gianluca Cersosimo would be forced to make a diving play to his left, where he would make a block saving one shot from going in. After the block, the ball would take an unfortunate bounce, falling back to the middle of the box, where it would be sent low to the opposite side from Grant Maurer.
New Haven would go into the halftime break leading Assumption by 1, managing to find a total of six shots thus far. Goalkeeper Cersosimo would go into the break with five saves, as Assumption lead the Chargers with a total of 10 shots found.
Coming out of the well-deserved break, the Chargers took the field leading by one, and would maintain that lead for 17 minutes after the half before Assumption would find the equalizer. That goal would bring the game to 2-2 and found off a blocked shot from Cersosimo that would bounce towards the middle of the circle to the feet of Vegard Pernes who would send the ball opposite corner.
With the game now tied for the first time, the Chargers offense pushed to regain their lead and would find it nearly seven minutes after Assumption's second goal. Control in the backfield from the Chargers would keep the Greyhounds in slow movement, giving a lead opportunity for Alexander Gunnarson into the box. Erik Cederberg, the ball handler would find space, connecting with Gunnarson on his run, catching Assumption off guard and sending it to the opposite corner.
Assumption would return that goal with one of their own in the 73rd minute of play. After being rewarded a corner, Sam Cardoza would be over the ball, sending it to the middle, where one of many would get a head on it, sending the ball backwards towards the goal. Not being cleared out in time, Vegard Pernes would once again find an equalizer, bringing the game to 3-3.
As the time continued to run down, both teams looked for the go-ahead goal, and the Chargers would be the first to find it. With a free kick outside of the box, Augustus McGiff (Brookhaven, N.Y./Bellport) would be over the ball for the Chargers. Sending the ball in, his shot would hit the crossbar right in the middle of the goal, bouncing down and being picked up by the Assumption goalkeeper. Originally, the play continued as one Charger attempted to finish it off, but the referees would stop play and call it a goal.
As time winded down, Assumption would not be able to find another to bring the game back to even, sending the Chargers home for the night with a win. New Haven would find a total of 11 shots on the evening, lead by Augustus McGiff (Brookhaven, N.Y./Bellport) and Oskar Kvarnback (Stockholm, Sweden/Bromma Gymnasium) both with three shots. Goalkeeper Gianluca Cersosimo would end the night with seven saves, one away from his season high.
Looking into the future, the Chargers will continue Northeast-10 Conference play as they welcome the Ravens of Franklin Pierce University to their home field. That game is set to take place on Saturday, September 30th with a start time of 1:00 p.m., and you can catch all the action on the Chargers Sports Network on NE10 NOW.
