The College of Staten Island men’s soccer team won for the second time in its last three outings, picking up another conference win to boot in a 1-0 win over CUNYAC-rivals York College in a game played earlier this afternoon in Jamaica, Queens. The Dolphins extended their record to 2-3-1 overall on the season but more importantly, 2-0 in CUNYAC play, while the Cardinals fell to 0-9, 0-2, respectively.
In a very well contested game from start to finish, both teams battled for quality chances, with neither team able to hit paydirt until the second stanza. York held a marginal lead in shots in the first half (6-4), but goalkeepers Ahmed El-Ghareib (CSI) and Qudus Kassim (YC) combined for just four saves. CSI, however, turned the tables in the second half, putting more balls into the York box, gaining more chances, and stringing together possession time.
The Dolphins scattered 14 shots in the second frame (8 on goal) but it was a corner kick from sophomore Dong Luu, playing in only his second game since returning from injury that was the difference. Luu took the corner in the 67th minute and put a bender straight on goal that went off of the hands of Kassim and into the net, giving CSI the unassuming 1-0 advantage that would eventually hold up.
York trained in vain to come back, firing 10 shots in the stanza, but only two managed to get on goal, both turned back by El-Ghareib, who picked up his second shutout of the season and made five saves in the clean-sheet win.
CSI led the final tally in shots, 18-16 (9-5 on goal), and held a 7-4 lead in corner kicks. The lone booking of the game off of 23 total fouls was assessed to CSI’s Paully Awad, who was issued a yellow card at 52:34.
CSI will resume its conference slate on Saturday, when they host City College of New York at 3pm at the CSI Soccer Complex, where CSI is still looking for its first win (0-2-1).
