A two goal lead is the most dangerous lead in soccer.City (1-1-0) suffered their first loss this season to Maritime College on Saturday night, falling 4-3 to the Privateers, blowing a 3-1 halftime lead."We loosened up because we were winning 3-1 and got caught off guard," said midfielder Mostafa Haridi concerning Maritime's comeback.With a 28 minutes left in the first half, the Beavers were already up by two on goals scored by Stefanos Hondrakis in the 10th minute and Abdul Rashid Abdulai in the 17th minute. The Privateers' Colton Gallt cut the lead to 2-1 on his goal in the 31st minute, but Kenan Redzematovic reinforced City's two-goal lead late in the first half for a 3-1 lead.It took the Beavers eight minutes to strike back. Maritime's keeper Karl Weber couldn't hold on to Spiratos' long pass, Redzematovic was at the right place at the right time and gave CCNY the 3-1 halftime lead.Maritime pressed high in the very beginning, but City quickly managed to force the ball out of their own half and were rewarded a goal 10 minutes in. Haridi played a ball into space to Hondrakis, who was unmarked in the 18-yard box, and shot the ball past Maritime's keeper Karl Weber for the opening goal."Personally I think I played well." Haridi added," But of course looking at the score, I think I could have played better along with the rest of the team."Maritime's first goal came from a corner kick -- Jack Feehan hit a short corner over to Parker Gallt, who crossed the ball and, after an awkward touch by his teammate Renato Chira-Farfan, Gallt headed the ball into the back of the net.Despite City taking a commanding 3-1 halftime lead, the tides shifted heavily in the second half.Maritime held CCNY scoreless while Parker Gallt (74’), Colton (85’) and Brett Reilly (88’) each found the back of the net in the second 45-minute frame.The second half was highly interrupted by fouls. This didn't drop Maritime's momentum, Billy Horgan bent in a long cross that found Parker Gallt whose shot made it a 3-2 game.After this goal, Maritime held City by the throat in search of an equalizer.They got it with five minutes left in the game as Colton Gallt volleyed his brother Parker's pass. The CUNYAC First Team goalkeeper of last season, Maxwell Berkow, stretched but couldn't get a hand on the ball."But this isn't a setback, but a learning curve for us. Our goal is the CUNYAC championship," said Abdulai.CCNY will look to bounce back from this loss against NYU this Wednesday, September 9th at 7 p.m.
BY Ralph Chery
Contributor
