JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | After dominating a scoreless first half, the New Jersey City University men's soccer team (3-0-0) outscored scored three times in the second half and defeated Yeshiva University (2-2-0) by a 3-1 outcome on September 7 at the Robert L McNulty Memorial Field. With the win, NJCU opens a season with a 3-0-0 record for the third consecutive season.
 
The Knights had the lion's share of possession the entire match, and they outshot Yeshiva 18-1 in the first half before their second half breakout, led once again by senior talisman Theo Sanoh (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson). NJCU outshot the Maccabees for the game, 33-5.
 
Sanoh tallied a pair of goals, his fourth and fifth of the season, each time extending the Knight lead to two goals, thus keeping Yeshiva at arm's length on the afternoon. Freshman Edric De Paula (Newark, NJ/Newark Tech) had the opening goal for NJCU, one assisted by both Sanoh and junior Koshane Marshall (Montclair, NJ/Montclair).
 
After scoring just four times as a junior, Sanoh now leads the New Jersey Athletic Conference with 12 points after three games. Sanoh (nine shots) and De Paula (eight shots, six on goal) combined for 17 total shots in the win.
 
The first half was a tale of near-misses for the Gothic Knights, as the ball stayed in the Maccabee defensive half for nearly the entirety of the opening 45. Both Sanoh and freshman midfielder Orlando Alcantara had shots bang off the crossbar, and Yeshiva freshman goalie Edgar Schottland (Lima, Peru) had to come up big on several occasions, tallying eight saves in the first half alone.
 
After the New York Red Bull Freestylers came on and performed at the half during a special ceremony, it didn't take long for the Knights to get on the board in the latter 45. Marshall sent a low pass through the box, which Sanoh dummied over, leaving De Paula the open look at a shot, which he tapped in the corner for the 1-0 NJCU lead just 93 seconds in to the period.
 
Not long after, it appeared as though the Maccabees had tied the game, as a free kick was spilled by NJCU goalie Eric Lopes Silva (Newark, NJ/Newark East Side), who had four saves on the day, but the whistle blew before the ball eventually ended up at the back of the net.
 
The Knights were able to double their lead in the 64th minute when a fortuitous slip by a Yeshiva defender gifted Sanoh with a golden opportunity. The goal-scoring machine did anything but waste the chance, beating one defender, and then powering the ball past the on-rushing keeper from a tight angle for the 2-0 lead.
 
Yeshiva started to see a bit more of the ball once they fell behind by two, and they eventually broke through in the 80th minute, when sophomore forward Alberto Benhamu (Caracas, Venezuela) found the ball at his feet after a strange bounce off an NJCU slide tackle. Benhamu slotted the ball past Lopes Silva to cut the lead to 2-1. It was the first goal conceded of the 2018 season for the NJCU men's soccer team.
 
While the game had a new energy, it was the Knights who capitalized next, as sophomore midfielder Doncovish Dorvilma (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) was taken down in the box, earning the penalty for NJCU. It was a penalty that Sanoh converted with ease, powering the ball into the bottom left corner for the 3-1 lead in the 82nd minute, and a much-needed safety net.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: NJCU leads all-time, 2-0 (9-1 shots differential).

• NJCU got off an incredible 33 shots on the game, 13 of which were on target. All five of the Maccabees shots were on target.
• Yeshiva midfielder Ilan Slonim (West Orange, N.J.) was disqualified from the match in the 73rd minute after picking up a pair of cards for delay of game, both coming in the second half.

 
UP NEXT:

• The Knights will look to remain undefeated when they travel to Dover, Delaware on Tuesday, September 11 to face off with Wesley College (3-0-0) at 7:00 p.m. It will be the first-ever meeting between the sides.

 
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