Box Score

NEWARK, N.J. -- For the second consecutive match, the 86th minute proved to be winning time for the Fairleigh Dickinson men's soccer team. Junior David Cornwell (London, England/Drayton Manor)'s first career goal with a little over four minutes remaining capped an unbelievable second half comeback to give the Knights a 4-3 win over NJIT. With the victory, FDU improves to 2-1-0 on the season, while the Highlanders fall to 2-1-0 overall.

The Knights scored all four of their goals in the final 24 minutes of the match as they held a one-man advantage after NJIT goalkeeper Lars Maalen-Johansen was ejected after picking up his second yellow card with 37 minutes remaining in the contest. FDU took advantage of the Highlanders playing with 10 players and took advantage of facing backup goalkeeper Jason Scolaro.

Senior Jack McVey (Douglas, Isle of Man/St. Ninian’s ) got things rolling with a penalty kick in the 67th minute to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Five minutes later, Cornwell found sophomore Nico Wright (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Jamaica College), who found the back of the net for his first goal of the season, which cut the Highlanders' lead to 3-2.

Wright was not done scoring and beat Scolaro from 10 yards out to tie the game at three, only two minutes after his first goal.

With time winding down in the second half, Wright and Cornwell switched roles as Wright delivered a pass to Cornwell in the middle of the box, who delivered the game winner for the Knights.

Things looked bleak for FDU in the first half as they allowed three first-half goals to find themselves down 3-0 at the break. Falk Siegel scored at the beginning of the ninth minute as he converted a header off Jason Gonzalez's corner kick to give NJIT an early 1-0 lead.

Franco Gamero put the home team up 2-0 after he broke past two defenders and was able to score.

Nine minutes before halftime, the Highlanders extended their lead to 3-0 on Jason Chippy's goal.

The Knights had their chances over the first 45 minutes as six of their seven shots were on goal, while outshooting NJIT, 7-5, and holding a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks.

To start the second half, senior Jeffrey Barrenechea (Lodi, N.J./Paramus Catholic) hit the post with a shot. After a shot went wide by sophomore Anders Vest-Hansen (Nykobing, Denmark/Celf) in the 52nd minute, Maalen-Johansen picked up his second card, sending him to the locker room and forcing the Highlanders to play with 10 players the rest of the way.

FDU outshot NJIT 10-4 in the second half and 17-9 for the match. Junior Jacob Lissek (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Rock Canyon) made two saves in goal for the Knights, while Maalen-Johansen made six of the Highlanders' seven saves.

"We came out very agressively after halftime, and that led to their goalkeeper receiving a second yellow card when he challenged a streaking David Cornwell (London, England/Drayton Manor) on a mistimed tackle," Head Coach Seth Roland said. "After that, we just kept pushing in order to try and take advantage of them playing a man down. Once Jack scored the penalty kick after (Godfred) Baafi was taken down in the box, you could feel the momentum building. Nico and David then came up big in and around NJIT's goal."

"We certainly have a great deal to work on, but in the end, I am very proud of the character we showed coming back from a 3-0 deficit," Roland said. "Cesar (Markovic's) leadership of NJIT has them way ahead of schedule as far as his vision for building the program. They are an extremely well-coached, committed and a dangerous team."

FDU will return to action on Friday, Sept. 7 when they return home to play a 7 p.m. match against Albany at University Stadium.