OCEAN CITY, NJ – The club’s first team (2-4-4, 10 points) continues their three-game road-trip, with the next stop coming against the Ocean City Nor’easters (2-3-2, 8 points) on Sunday, June 23, at Carey Stadium “The Beach House” on the campus of Ocean City High School. The contest is slated to kick-off at 7:00 p.m. The first team is coming off an emotional 4-1 defeat to the Long Island Rough Riders on Wednesday evening, that saw assistant coach Marco Balsamo, and striker Filippo Tamburini receive straight-red card ejections in the first half of the contest, and a potential season-ending injury for captain Johan Mauritzson. The Ocean City Nor’easters host the New York Red Bulls U23 squad on Friday night to kick-off a four-game home-stand on the shore. A complete overhaul of their roster includes returning midfielder Deri Corfe. Strikers Fredlin Mompremier and Alex Rose, who have single-handedly taken down the first team during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, are no longer in South Jersey.
ALL TIME SERIES:
The first team trails the all-time series 0-8-1 against the Ocean City Nor’easters dating back to 2014. The club fell in three consecutive matches between the South Jersey based club, by a combined score of three nil (one nil in three straight matches). The most recent contest at Poly Prep Country Day School saw a 1-1 draw between the two clubs on a pair of goals that occurred in the final 10 minutes of action on May 18. First goal for the Nor’easters scored on a high-shot from Daniel Twizer, landed past Babacarr Ceesay for the go-ahead. The first team then responded with a redirected goal from defender Tomasso Davico, on a shot to Karamba Janneh in front for the equalizer. The 2018 set of contests, saw former forward Alex Rose for the opposition score a hat trick against the first team at Carey Stadium on June 30, 2018 in a five-nil shutout. Other notables from the series has included defender Ben Marcu recording a pair of shots on goal at Carey Stadium in 2017, along with SUNY Potsdam’s Brandon Igiehon making his then-PDL debut. A full season ago during the home opener (at Aviator Sports) against Ocean City, a penalty kick from defender Sunatillo Khusanov in the third minute of play saw the first team get on the board early.
SCOUTING THE NOR’EASTERS:
Following a 27-point campaign that resulted in a third-place finish just outside of the playoffs, the Nor’easters look to regain their momentum that includes “USL Top 100 Players to Watch” selection Deri Corfe from Wright State University. Corfe, was also named the team’s respective MVP of last season, where he recorded six goals and three assists while playing in all 14 games. The Chester, England native would also shoot the ball 23 times. This season, the Nor’easters are led by a trio of keepers beginning with Saint Joseph’s College’s Joseph Boehm, St. John’s University’s Jan Hoffelner, and High Point’s Keegan Meyer. The remainder of the roster rounds out with locals from the New Jersey area that includes St. Joseph’s University’s Ritchie Barry, UPenn’s RC Williams, and Saint Peters’ Marco Torino. Since the opening USL League Two contest for the Nor’easters, their respective first team has struggled to find the back of the net, as eight goals have been put home in six games. During the six-game stretch, Ocean City is 2-3-1, with seven points. Midfielder Deri Corfe, leads the team with four goals on the season with 14 shots on target.
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 Sunday in New Jersey. Defender Kalley Muntaha dressed on Wednesday at Long Island, but did not play. Muntaha told I-95 Sports and Entertainment Network on Thursday, that he fully expects to play on Sunday in Ocean City. 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. Forward Filippo Tamburini will not be in the lineup due to the straight-red card issued on Wednesday night. The Canisius product will be eligible to return on Saturday at Cedar Stars Rush.
LAST TIME OUT:
Coming off a come-from-behind emotional victory over the Lehigh Valley United on Saturday evening in Brooklyn, the first team currently is looking to build upon the momentum that they created at Poly Prep. Entering the contest with 10 points, sitting just a single victory out of second place in the Mid-Atlantic Division, defender Kalley Muntaha returned to the 18-man roster in time for a crucial showdown, on the road. While concluding their sixth home contest in just the first seven matches of the 2019 season, the Long Island Rough Riders had plans to spoil Muntaha’s return, along with putting a damper on the plans for head coach Joe Balsamo to rise further on the divisional ladder. The home team would strike first with a Matthew Sloan ice-breaker to open the contest, at the 7’ minute mark. Being punched first, usually means to respond, or fight back. For the first team, they have been remarkable in responding to goals following an opposition goal. A pass up the wing from Alexis Santa to Conor McGlynn, had given the Siena Saints product the ability to go one on one with a defender for the Rough Riders, then to find striker Filippo Tamburini for the one-timer directly past goalkeeper Andrew Withers for the equalizer at the 13’ minute mark. Following the goals scored by each respective team in the first half, the Brooklyn-Long Island rivalry became apparent, as tensions became to rise on both sides of the field. Forward Filippo Tamburini was shown a straight-red card ejection due to an intentional “kicking-motion” to a Long Island defender. This series of unfortunate events for the first team, gave life to the Rough Riders, as Matt Sloan would net the go-ahead goal just three minutes prior to the half coming to a close, to put his squad ahead by one. The remainder of the final 45 included injury, plus one-sided soccer. Ten minutes into the second half, defender Tim Estermann netted one home from 20 yards out to put Long Island ahead by a pair at the 59’ minute of competition. On the ensuing possession for the first team, captain and defender Johan Mauritzson fell to the ground, due to a lower-body injury (hamstring). Mauritzson would be replaced by goalkeeper Andrew Pereira, who showed sportsmanship and played a different position in lieu of his captain. The final goal would be scored by the aforementioned Matt Sloan, who secured the hat-trick in the 63’ minute of play.
UP NEXT:
The club’s first team returns to the pitch on Saturday, June 29 for one final meeting in 2019 against the Cedar Stars Rush. The contest is slated to be played at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s soccer stadium, and begin at approximately 7:30 p.m.