Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Colleges Men's Soccer team returned to action today (Sunday September 3) as they faced off against the Cougars from Averett University. With both teams looking for their first win of the season. The match offered everything a fan could want, with each team combining for 22 shots resulting in 6 goals, in addition to 8 yellow cards, 4 from each team.
The first 20 minutes of the game were back and forth with each team getting touches and creating chances in the final third. In the 24th minute of the game Leonardo Cardona sent a wonderful, over the top, through ball past the Cougar back line to set up Craig Thomas in the box where he was able to dispatch the ball into the back of the net, giving the Pride a 1-0 lead.
Averett in response shifted their midfielders into more of an attacking formation, which helped the team earn corner after corner. In the 39th minute, a corner kick sailed into the box, landing at the foot of Sebastian Weijdegaard, who would score to even the match before halftime.
Coming out of the break, Averett would maintain possession in the attacking half for the vast majority of the first 15 minutes, resulting in a Cougar go-ahead goal in the 57th minute.
Greensboro would respond well by maintaining possession and having touch after touch in and around the box, which would ultimately lead to Thomas earning a penalty kick in the 64th minute of the game. Sharife Hne would take the kick for the Pride and smash it into the top left corner, beating the keeper to equalize the score line at 2-2.
While the momentum had switched back in Greensboro's favor, Averett was quick to respond and would earn a handful of free kicks and corners in the final 20 minutes of the game. Averett would go on to score two goals in the final 10 minutes of the match giving them the win over the Pride in what was a hard fought battle.
The Match would finish 4-2 in Averett favor despite great play from goalkeeper Christian Del Cid Portillo (7 Saves) and striker Craig Thomas (Goal, Assist).
Greensboro Men's Soccer will be back in action Tuesday night at 7pm as they host in town rival Guilford College on Pride Field.
