FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University men's soccer team scored the game's first two goals before Army West Point rallied with a pair of goals in the final 11 minutes of the game as the Stags and the Black Knights ended the night with a 2-2 draw.
Fairfield controlled tempo early in the game by taking the ball deep down the flanks and sending crosses into the box, forcing the back line and goalkeeper to make plays in order to avoid danger. The Stags made several runs inside the box but could not connect through the opening 20 minutes of the game.
The home team broke the scoreless game in the 22
nd minute of play following a decisive run by
Jonathan Filipe. The senior found some free space down the side and cut back to the inside before sending a cross across the box. Sophomore
Thomas Drillien maneuvered inside the box and made a run toward goal, redirecting Filipe's pass with his head. The ball just caught the inside of the far post and bounced to the back of the net to give Fairfield a 1-0 lead.
The Stags were unrelenting in their attack following the goal, applying more pressure by pushing forward when the opportunity presented itself. In the 32
nd minute,
Nadav Zarmi found the ball in free space just over midfield and sent a pinpoint cross to Drillien who once again redirected the cross into the far corner of the game to double Fairfield's lead at 2-0.
Down a pair of goals, Army West Point picked up its offensive pace and began to move forward more aggressively. The Black Knights ended up nearly doubling the Stags in shots during the 45-minute half, holding a 9-5 edge. But it wasn't until late in the half that Army West Point found success on the scoreboard.
Oscar Pereira provided the team's first goal, collecting a pass from D'Anthony Brown and driving a shot past a diving
Conor Forrest, who entered the game in the 67
th minute in relief of starter
James Anderson.
The Black Knights tied the game just six minutes later when a failed clear attempt by the Stags found the foot of Justin McStay, who one-timed a shot from outside the box that found the upper left corner of the goal which brought the score to 2-2 with less than five minutes remaining on the clock.
Fairfield had the better of it in the overtime periods, holding a 5-1 advantage in shots but none of the six combined shots by the two teams forced either goalkeeper to make a save.
The Stags completed their two-game home stand with tonight's draw, setting up a two-game road trip that commences over the weekend. Fairfield will travel to Stony Brook University on Saturday for a 6 pm match. The road swing continues south with the Stags playing a September 15 match with Princeton University at 7 pm. Fairfield's next home game is scheduled for September 21 when the University of Hartford comes to Lessing Field for a 7 pm start.
