TEANECK, NJ – The club’s first team (2-5-4, 10 points) look to conclude their three-game road trip on a positive note, when they visit the Cedar Stars Rush (3-3-3, 12 points) on Saturday, June 29. The match is set to be played at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and ready to kick-off for 7:30 p.m. The first team comes into the contest missing a handful of players that includes captain defender Johan Mauritzson, forward Filippo Tamburini, and midfielder Conor McGlynn. The team has fallen in the previous two on the road. The newly formed Cedar Stars Rush have surprised everyone with three victories, and three draws so far in 2019. The most recent contest, coming against the Lehigh Valley United roughly 10 days prior, came away with a 3-1 victory in Allentown.
ALL TIME SERIES:
The club has faced the Cedar Stars Rush only once since the inception of the club into the Mid-Atlantic Division. The lone match came on May 14, in the first team’s home opener at Poly Prep Country Day School. The result showed a 0-0 draw on the scoreboard following 90’ minutes of action. Both squads began with possession in each other’s end for the first 15 minutes of play, where no action took place. The first notable action included the LIU Post’s Kyle Parrish try to find Canisus’s Filippo Tamburini on a cross that went inches past the speedy forward just three minutes after possession took place. The attempted cross from Parrish gave the Rush life as they finished the first half outshooting the first team 5-0. Substitutions for the first team included former Tampa Bay Rowdies NPSL forward Karamba Janneh, who scored the second goal against Evergreen on Saturday, along with team veteran Ousman “Robi” Sillah. The first team was able to give Rush’s goalkeeper Jason Dubrovich everything they had, where they shot seven times in a 26-minute span. Two shots made it to the opposing keeper from Alexis Santa and Conor McGlynn that went just wide. The contest ended with three minutes of stoppage time that resulted in each team obtaining a lone point.
SCOUTING THE CEDAR STARS RUSH:
A flurry of tri-state area players have joined together to form the newly created Cedar Stars Rush USL League Two squad. Led by head coach Anthony Nixon will be coaching some of Fairleigh Dickinson’s best Knights that include Valentino Ambrosio, Noah Chia, and Anthony Herbert. The team will also be playing their home matches on the college’s respective field. The MAAC conference continues to shine throughout the roster that includes Marist’s Ernest Mitchell, Fairfield’s Joseph Meyer, Saint Peter’s University’s own Michael Crenstil and Jason Dubrovich. Leading goalscorer’s include Noah Amissah, who has a pair on five total shots. While a plethora of forwards have one each (Crentsil, Antunes, Martinez, Alberto, Thmpson, Akampeke, Parada, Mieles, Rivera).
INJURY UPDATES:
Captain and defender Johan Mauritzson left Wednesday’s contest at Long Island due to a hamstring injury. He does not expect to be ready for Saturday at Cedar Stars. The defender is looking to make his return following a one-month absence with a lower right-knee injury. Midfielder Thriston Briscoe is still out with an ankle injury that was suffered on May 25 at the aforementioned Reading United AC. Forward DeAndre Gordon remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury, suffered against the Red Bull on Saturday, June 8. Forward Filippo Tamburini will not be in the lineup due to the straight-red card issued at Long Island. The Canisius product will be eligible to return on Sunday vs. Evergreen (7/7). Midfielder Conor McGlynn will also be inactive due to a double-yellow card ejection against Ocean City on Sunday. The Siena product will be available to return on Sunday vs. Evergreen (7/7).
LAST TIME OUT:
Traveling down to the boardwalk with a slew of players on the shelf included Nermin Buljubasic, Sory Konate, Johann Weatherly, Adam Marcu, Thriston Briscoe, Johan Mauritzson, Troy Carrington, Dylan Scanley, and DeAndre Gordon. Head Coach Joe Balsamo had to get a bit creative with the return of two key players, which included the likes of forward Karamba Janneh and defender Kalley Muntaha, and the suspension of forward Filippo Tamburini as well. The home team got things started right away with a one-on-one opportunity for Claudio Repetto, as he shot one directly on target. Goalkeeper Babacarr Ceesay earned his first save of the evening just five minutes into the match. Five minutes following the Repetto shot, USL Top 100 watch list selection, Deri Corfe got his first chance, as his shot went sailing over the American football uprights. Seven minutes following the second shot for Ocean City, midfielder Ryan Inman’s shot on goal went centimeters wide of Ceesay for the team’s third shot of the contest. At the 21’ minute of action, first team forward Karamba Janneh went one on one with an opposing defender, as his shot went just wide. Janneh’s shot, 21 minutes into the contest, was the club’s first of the match. Both clubs coming into the contest separated by a single point, became the talk on the field, that led to trash talk on the field, and further. Midfielder Kwadwo Kwashie was fouled in the 24’ minute of action, where the first team was awarded a free-kick. Kwashie’s kick went into the mitts of goalkeeper Jan Hoffelner. Not too long following the free-kick, Ocean City was granted one as well due to a yellow-card caution issued to veteran Robi Sillah. In the stoppage time of the first 45’ minutes of action, a shot from Jordan Schwartz, went directly into the mitts of Hoffelner, but couldn’t handle it. The ball would fall in the path of Karamba Janneh, where he scored the icebreaker, and the team’s first goal of the contest, while proceeding into the locker room ahead by one. Coming out of the locker room, Ocean City came out flying, with early shots and crosses that put the team ahead with four shots to none within the first 15 minutes of action. In the 61’ minute of action, midfielder Brandon Smalley sent a cross to Deri Corfe, and the mini tip became the equalizer past the diving Babacarr Ceesay for the first goal of the night for the home team. Just minutes following the goal, multiple shots were saved by the first team, and were luckily shied away at the final moments prior to crossing the line. Needing a spark from the bench, head coach Joe Balsamo decided to switch Kwadwo Kwashie with forward Valentyn Kharko in the 70’ minute. Seven minutes following the change, Deri Corfe scored the second goal of the contest, and his team’s second as well, to put Ocean City up by one. Following the goal, tempers began to flare that resulted in a double-yellow ejection for alternate captain and midfielder Conor McGlynn. McGlynn will now be suspended for the upcoming contest at Cedar Stars Rush. The final goal came in stoppage time from Claudio Repetto, as the Ocean City Nor’easters completed the improbable and emotional come-back to earn a trio of points, and leapfrog the first team in a tight Mid-Atlantic Division.
UP NEXT:
The club’s first team returns to Brooklyn for one final time in the 2019 campaign, as the Evergreen Hammers visit New Utricht High School on Sunday, July 7 for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff. The contest will be streamed live on the club’s exclusive broadcast home, I-95 Sports and Entertainment Network, and YouTube.com/FAEuro.