Daniel Tsygankov scored his third goal of the season with 4:25 left wo win the game for CSI

The College of Staten Island men’s soccer team used a late goal by freshman Daniel Tsygankov with 4:25 remaining, to take a 2-1 conference victory over visiting Medgar Evers College in a game played this afternoon at the CSI Soccer Complex.  CSI evened its overall record to 6-6 and raised its CUNYAC mark to 2-1 with the win, while the Cougars fell to 1-5, 0-2, respectively.

In a game where quality opportunities were at a premium for both sides for the entire match, CSI scored the game’s first goal with exactly 19 minutes gone by.  A crisp lined pass from the right side by freshman Brian Cadmen found Alfonso Castaneda for the sophomore’s second goal of the season, giving CSI the 1-0 advantage.  The score remained dead-locked after that, going into intermission.  CSI held a modest, 8-4, edge on shots (3-2 on goal).

Sensing some urgency, MEC amped up the pressure in the second frame and maintained steady control.  The Cougars’ James Maynard led a rush up the field and found a streaking Zeakiel Daley.  Daley ripped a shot that CSI keeper Ahmed El-Ghareib seemed to cover, but the ball popped loose and CSI’s Ahn Le, in an attempt to clear, inadvertently placed the goal into his own net, tying the score at 1-1, with only 4:18 gone by in the second frame.

From there, both teams traded away possessions and fought for some quality chances.  Both keepers were not tested a great deal and the game was bogged down with a host of fouls (50 total, 32 in the second frame).

Finally, luck would find the Dolphins with 4:25 to play.  After a loose ball was bounced around on both ends, a would be clear attempt at midfield was blocked down by CSI, and a foot race ensued for the loose ball between CSI’s Tsygankov and a Cougars defender.  MEC keeper Christopher Welsh came out of the goal to also meet the ball at the top of the box, but CSI’s freshman got to the ball first and calmly threaded a ball through the defense and past Welsh to give CSI the unassisted game-winner.  The Dolphins handles the Cougars defensively from there, holding on for the win.

The Dolphins won the shot battle, 13-8, but shots on goal were even at 6-6.  CSI had five corner kicks to the Cougars’ one.  A total of five players received yellow caution cards.  Cadmen was whistled for CSI while four MEC players (Denzel Sebastian, Borris Pendie, Ibrahim Diallo, and Zeakiel Daley) all got hit.

CSI will return to the pitch on Wednesday, October 2, when they face off against John Jay College at the Metropolitan Oval at 4:00pm.