Fairfield, CT – Despite a late goal from junior defender Adrien Awana (Bordeaux, France / University of Bordeaux) and a total of eight shots in the final 12 minutes, Manhattan could not overcome a pair of first-half goals and fell to Sacred Heart 2-1 on Monday afternoon in Connecticut.
With the loss, the Jaspers snap their three-game winning streak and drop to 3-1 on the season. The Pioneers even up their record at 1-1-1.
Down 2-0 after Sacred Heart struck twice late in the first half, Manhattan got on the board after Awana rang a shot off the crossbar, the first shot of Manhattan's barrage. Freshman midfielder James Cotter (Wigan, England / Hawkley Hall) headed a shot that went high, and Awana responded by firing in his first career goal in the Kelly Green and White.
Up next, Manhattan packs its bags for a two-game road trip in Virginia. First, the Jaspers visit VMI on Friday, September 7 at 4:00 pm, followed by a date with Liberty on Sunday, August 9 at 1:00 pm.
FIRST HALF
- Manhattan blocked three Sacred Heart shots in the first 12 minutes.
- Fifth-year senior Troy Carrington (Verona, NJ / Syracuse) came off the bench and fired the Jaspers' first shot of the game in the 18th minute.
- Cotter almost headed in his first career score in the 20th minute, but the attempt floated above the crossbar.
- Junior goalkeeper Marcellin Gohier (Nantes, France / CENS) made his first save of the day in the 24th minute.
- Sophomore forward Brandon Joseph-Buadi (Brighton, England / Woodard) was on target with his first shot of the game, but Pioneer keeper Robert Strain denied him.
- Oscar Curras found Navarro in the 37th minute to break the scoreless tie.
- Raposo took it himself in the 40th minute to extend Sacred Heart's advantage to 2-0.
SECOND HALF
- Gohier prevented Alejandro Arribas from scoring just 1:11 out of the break.
- Sophomore forward Berti Fourrier (Marseille, France / IFC Marseille) unloaded his first shot in the 53rd minute, but Strain was there to stop it.
- Joseph-Buadi's shot in the 64th minute was sent away by Strain, and the ensuing corner kick did not yield any additional chances.
- Altin Celaj rifled a shot that Gohier did not concede in the 75th minute.
- Fresh off Awana's goal, senior Jean-Baptiste Tamas Leloup (Sainte Bazeille, France / Merignac) zipped a shot wide right.
- Manhattan had three straight shots following a Pioneer foul, and senior forward Lucas Da Silva's (West Palm Beach, FL / Palm Beach Atlantic) shot was corralled by Pioneer netminder Robert Strain.
- Senior midfielder Ryan Shields (Wigan, England / Standish Community) tried to knock in the Jaspers' last chance, but went wide.
- Gohier nabbed his final save of the afternoon in the 89th minute, denying Curras.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- In the last three meetings in the series, both teams are now 1-1-1, with the wins coming on each other's home field.
- This was the first time that Manhattan trailed a game this season.
- The Jaspers outshot the Pioneers 16-15 and outnumbered them in corner kicks 5-4.
- Fourrier led Manhattan with three shots.
- Cotter made his first career start.