After starting the season with three straight losses, the College of Staten Island men's soccer team merited a scoreless draw over non-conference PSU-Brandywine after overtime play in Media, PA, on Wednesday afternoon. CSI moved to 0-3-1 on the season before their home opener on Saturday. In a bizarre twist, the game was halted with four minutes to play in the second overtime.
Despite the scoreless tie, the Dolphins did have a number of chances in this contest, earning more shots and controlling the midfield play for most of the afternoon. CSI registered a season high seven shots on goal, including a pair each from Lirim Begain and Alen Desevic.
CSI keeper Ahmed El-Ghareib turned back five shots between the pipes for his first career shutout for the Dolphins, who also earned seven corner kicks to just one for PSU-Brandywine. The Dolphins, however, were victim of the offsides trap, getting flagged 15 times for offsides, making it a frustrating afternoon for CSI.
Perhaps the most frustrating part of the match came late into the second overtime. After a series of players got tangled on the pitch, the referees halted play, and after issuing rough play warnings to both teams, the referees suspended the remainder of the match in a dubious twist, with no caution or ejection cards being issued. Head Coach Armen Simoniants was not altogether positive on why play was not allowed to continue.
"At the time of the halt, the referee stopped play when an oppossing player was playing the ball while on the ground with Lirim (Begai). It was a rough game but well-played, I am not sure why he stopped it," Simoniants said. CSI, travelling with just 13 players, protested the premature stoppage but left the field without incident.
CSI will now prepare for its home opener against New Jersey's Berkeley College, Saturday afternoon, at 3:30pm.
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