This post was written by Hatchet reporter Daniel Wright.
Senior Yoni Berhanu lined up his penalty kick while staring across the box at the American goaltender.
After pausing to aim, Berhanu zipped a shot into the lower left corner of the net, tying the score just 48 seconds into the second half.
But American didn’t stay down for long, scoring two goals within 12 minutes later in the second half that gave the Eagles a 3-2 victory. The loss was the first game of GW’s (0-1) season, and was also the opening match of the 11th annual D.C. College Cup, an early-season tournament for District teams.
The first half began hesitantly, with both teams trading shots, but neither finding the back of the net. American finally connected just before halftime, earning a one-goal margin in the 36th minute of play. Three players connected on the Eagles effort, crossing the ball from the endline to the corner, before whistling a one-time shot into the lower left corner of the net past Colonials junior goaltender Brendan Lafferty.
The goal gave American the lead heading into halftime, and head coach George Lidster said his team’s hesitation during the first half of play gave the Eagles their scoring opportunity. After the half, Lidster said, his team worked to change their focus on the field.
“We were a little bit tentative in everything we did,” Lidster said. “We matched up with them a lot better after halftime.”
After some tactical changes, notably the switch to sophomore Alex Sandland at fullback, the Colonials responded almost immediately following the break, with Berhanu capitalizing on the American foul to knot the score at one.
The goal set up a back-and-forth struggle between the teams, but American again reasserted their dominance, scoring two goals over 12 minutes midway through the half. First, a low blast from 22 yards out was screened by several players, forcing Lafferty to react late and allowing the Eagles to pull up by one. Colonials freshman Farhan Kahn almost tied the game again, aiming a left-footed shot towards the American goal, but it tipped just wide of the far post.
After Kahn’s near miss, the Eagles executed a swift counterattack, creating a two-goal lead with a one-time shot that lined past Lafferty. The quick volley of American goals, Lidster said, came from the Colonials losing their focus on play.
“We allowed American to establish control of the game,” Lidster said. “We rushed our passes, we rushed our attacks, and we gave the ball away a lot.”
The Colonials were determined to continue their fight, pulling within one goal when junior Seth Rudolph lined a shot across the back of the net that brought the game to its final 3-2 tally. GW pressured heavily throughout the final minutes of the game, but American withstood their onslaught, ultimately dealing the Colonials their first loss of the season.
Lafferty posted three saves during the game, but American finished with a 17-13 lead in shots and a 6-5 edge in shots on goal. Despite the score, Lidster spoke highly of his team’s effort after the game, adamant that applying pressure and continuing to attack would eventually pay dividends for GW.
“The attacks will eventually yield goals,” Lidster said. “Give the players credit, they battled back.”
The Colonials take on Howard University Sept. 3 in their final match of the College Cup. Play is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m..