WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's soccer team improved to 4-0 on the season Monday evening, defeating the Army Black Knights by a final score of 2-1 on a game-winning goal in the 89th minute from junior Fredinho Mompremier.
Freshman Jacob Labovitz added the other tally for FDU and goalkeeper Tiago Capela earned his second win of the season, turning aside five of six shots faced in the win.
"What a fantastic game, and what a great win over a very good Army team," head coach Seth Roland said. "This was the type of game that you dream about playing in when you're a Division I athlete, two undefeated teams leaving it all out on the field in a physcial and emotional battle. Tons of high drama andf great chances at both ends."
Army enjoyed a dangerous spell of possession in the games early going, testing Capela with a shot in the second minute of play, however the FDU defense managed to snuff it out before the Black Knights could capitalize.
The Knights answered back with a couple dangerous looks of their own, first as Mompremier fired a strike from inside the box after a crafty run through a pair of defenders that was gobbled up by goalkeeper Justin Stoll.
True freshman Jacob Labovitz followed the effort with a booming strike of his own from outside the box, again being denied by Stoll.
Mompremier nearly made it one-nil for the Knights in the 22nd minute, dancing into the box and fooling Stoll with a quick shot low along the pitch towards a wide open net that beat the keeper but bounced off the far post before quickly being recovered by an Army defender and cleared. The game remained even.
Army midfielder Alex Grave de Peralta endured a close call of his own, redirecting a perfect cross into the box on to keeper Tiago Capela at near point-blank range at just under the 15 -minute mark. The freshman proved up to the task for the second straight game, miraculously saving all of Peralta's chances to keep the game even at zero.
The save would prove critical in FDU defending the tie, as neither side managed to find the back of the net in the opening 45 minutes.
Both squads began the second half with an attacking mindset, with FDU subbing leading scorer Ahu Obhakhan into the game to start the second.
And while the Knights enjoyed some solid possession, however it was Army that drew first blood.
After stopping the initial shot on a booming effort form just inside the box, the lively rebound got away from Capela and right into the path of Keenan O'Shea, who slammed home the rebound into a yawning net to put the black Knights up 1-0 with just over thirty minutes to play.
The Knights kept pressing, however, and were finally rewarded in the 81st minute.
This time around it was another freshman making an impact for FDU in a big moment, as Jacob Labovitz scored his first goal in a Knights jersey on a tremendous strike from the right side of the box to even the score at one a piece.
FDU wasn't done with the dramatics just yet, however.
In the 89th minute, just as it looked as if things were headed to overtime, Mompremier corralled a pass in the box, turned on a defender to create separation, and fired a clinical strike into the upper left corner of the net to put the Knights ahead 2-1 with just under 90 seconds to play.
"Jacob Buried his first collegiate goal and was outstanding all game for us," Roland said. "And Fredinho, what a great play out-muscling Army's best defender on the game winner."
The win moves the Knights to 4-0 to pen the season, their best such start since 2013.
"The guys showed tremendous character coming back from a goal down," Roland said. "We didn't despair at all. After Army took the lead, we kicked it up a level and showed our strong mentality. I'm proud of how we competed".
