Box Score (Fairfield, CT) – The Sacred Heart Men's Soccer team picked up a big win in their final home game of the regular season, beating the St. Francis (NY) Terriers 3-1 on Senior Day.
St. Francis (NY) wasted little time taking the lead, scoring 31 seconds into the game on a goal by Fadil Paljevic. Viktor Bakkioui and Gabriel Bagot picked up assists, setting up Paljevic for bender into the top left corner from about 20 yards out. However, the Pioneers would dictate the game throughout after that, outshooting SFNY 20-7 overall including a 13-3 margin in shots on goal.
Mahmoud Kafel (Fairfield, CT) nearly tied it about 10 minutes later, sneaking in from the left corner to get around the goalkeeper, but Ben Graver hustled back to make a defensive save. However, the Pioneers were awarded a penalty kick when Omer Levy (Yahud, Israel) was tripped in the box, and Marcello Castro (Panana, Brazil) made good with a low shot to the far post for his team-leading seventh goal of the season.
Kafel found daylight on the right side of the box for the go-ahead goal in the 59th minute, receiving a brilliant cross along the ground through the defense from Castro.
The Pioneers added an insurance goal by Justin Brewer (Somers, CT), who broke in down the left wing on pass by Ronaldo Vieira (Framingham, MA) after dribbling up the middle. Brewer drilled a left-footer on the attack for his first goal of the season in the 66th minute.
With the win, the Pioneers are now tied with St. Francis (NY) with 12 points for fifth place in the NEC with two games left to play in the regular season. Sacred Heart is next in action November 2 at 4:00 pm at Mount St. Mary's.
