MURFREESBORO, NC – Francis Marion University graduate student defender
David Guevara and junior forward
Jose Coutinho each scored in the final eight minutes of the second half to secure a 3-2 victory at Chowan University on Saturday night (Sept. 5) in Conference Carolinas men's soccer action.
With the win, the Patriots improve to 2-1-1 overall with a 1-0-0 mark in conference play. Francis Marion returns to non-conference play on Wednesday, Sept. 9, in a regional bout at Wingate University at 7 p.m.
In the opening minutes of the match, Chowan was pressuring heavily in the offensive half, forcing graduate student goalkeeper
Vicent Sanchis into three early saves. The Patriots would flip the script and pepper five shots on goal, but the contest remained scoreless.
In the 25th minute, the Patriots were awarded a penalty kick following a late challenge from behind in the box. Senior forward
Lucas Vila stepped to the spot and scored his second goal of the season to give FMU a 1-0 advantage.
The Hawks managed to tie the game at 1-1 in the 37th minute after Chowan's Andre Camargo delivered a free kick into the box that was headed in by Martino Lalli. At the 43:27 mark, Chowan took the lead following a miscue by the FMU defense to stretch the lead to 2-1.
At the break, the Hawks held a 13-9 edge in shots while the Patriots had a 3-1 lead in corner kicks.
The intensity of the match picked up in the second half as FMU controlled a majority of possession and held a significant shot advantage. In the 83rd minute, the Patriots found their equalizer courtesy of a free-kick header by Guevara off an entry cross from senior forward
Volkan Celikkol, 2-2.
Francis Marion took that momentum and found the game-winner in the 85th minute to steal a 3-2 victory on the road. Vila played a quick right-footed pass into the left side of the box; it was collected by Coutinho, who juked his defender and scored at the far post.
Sanchis finished the match with a season-high 11 saves while facing 19 shots in the 90-minute match.
Francis Marion outshot Chowan by a 26-19 margin while boasting a 7-1 edge in corner kicks.
