Box Score
JERSEY CITY, N.J. - After a first half that saw one goal apiece be scored late, the second half took a turn for the worst for the Manhattan men's soccer team. Two goals, scored 6:52 apart, led to a deficit the Jaspers (1-11-1, 1-4 MAAC) could not overcome as they fell to Saint Peter's on Saturday. It was Manhattan's fourth straight loss in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
During the first frame, both teams struggled to take control on offense firing a combined nine shots between the two. Each squad had looks, but the first quality chance came as C.J. Dragovich missed a header wide in the 30th minute. Just about four minutes later, the Peacocks (4-10, 2-3 MAAC) began the scoring when Jack Pounce fed Noah Sadaoui inside the box for the 1-0 lead.
Manhattan would come right back in the 40th minute when Isa Konneh dribbled up the left side before passing off to Tommy Amos in the middle of the field. Amos had a 1-on-1 with the keeper and beat Carlos Suarez to tie things up. Saint Peter's would get one last look before the half but Betim Bajrami would be denied by George Ellis sending the game into the locker room tied.
Out of the break, the Jaspers looked to take a lead early when Eugene Heerschap put a header attempt towards goal but placed it just over the crossbar. Saint Peter's would take possession the other way and work their way into the box. A Manhattan foul on defense gave the Peacocks a penalty kick that Lennard Ann would convert to break the deadlock in the 49th minute.
That goal would boost the energy level for Saint Peter's who turned up the heat. In the 55th minute, Bajrami fired a shot on net that Ellis stopped. However, the rebound trickled too far away from the keeper and Marcel Maddee capitalized scoring off the ricochet to put the Peacocks up 3-1.
The Jaspers would muster just one shot the rest of the way as Saint Peter's controlled possession holding on for the victory. Manhattan would be outshot 19-8 in the contest, including 15-3 in the second half while each team earned four corner kicks. Ellis would finish the day with seven saves while Suarez only needed to make one in each half.
Manhattan will step out of conference in their next match when they host the Army Black Knights at 3:30 p.m. on Tues. Oct., 23 at Gaelic Park.
