LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - The Fairleigh Dickinson men's soccer team earned a 1-1 draw Friday evening against the Rider Broncs to open up the 2018 regular season, moving their record to 0-0-1 on the year.
Senior Ahu Obhakhan scored the lone tally for FDU, his first of the season. Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite turned aside three of four shots on goal on the evening.
"I'm really proud of the heart we showed tonight battling back to equalize late in the game, and we didn't stop pushing for the win even playing with only 10 men," head coach Seth Roland said. "We were fitter and stronger and got better as the game went on."
The Broncs wasted little time getting things started, enjoying a bout of pressure in the games opening moments.
Waite stopped his first shot of the day off of a strike by Clement Bourret in the second minute, however a continued spell of possession led to Rider being awarded a penalty kick after senior Elliott Otmani was fouled in the box.
Otmani took advantage of the situation and buried a strike to put the Broncs up 1-0 just ten minutes in. They nearly doubled their lead in the 22' after being awarded a pair of corners, however the Knights back line managed to snuff out both efforts to keep things at 1-nil.
Rider continued to press, but the Knights managed to steadily gain momentum of their own on the counter.
Daniel Lasarte earned the first good look of the afternoon for FDU after collecting the ball at the top of the box and firing a hard strike that ended up sailing high of the net in the 36'.
Jacob Labovitz fired a turning strike that rolled just wide of the far post a few minutes later.
A few more looks were exchanged, however after 45 minutes the score remained 1-0.
The second half saw much of the same initially, as the Broncs enjoyed spells of possession in the middle third of the field without really threatening much, while FDU remained deadly on the counter attack and steadily continued to build up scoring chances.
Nark Miranda nearly leveled for the Knights after a well-placed cross found his foot on the near post, however Miranda steered the shot just high of the net.
The Knights finally broke through in the 80' minute after a perfect cross from Labovitz on the left wing connected with a leaping Ahu Obhakhan, who headed a perfectly placed strike past the keeper to level with just ten minutes remaining.
FDU would press for the go-ahead goal over the final ten minutes of regulation, however aside from a Labovitz red card things were uneventful and the game drifted to overtime.
Despite several promising looks including a diving effort from Obhakhan with just under two minutes remaining in the extra frame, the final horn sounded with both teams knotted at 1-1.
"We were too tentative in the first half but then picked it up to another level second half and in the overtimes. We had all the good chances after halftime, and that's a tribute to our guts and fitness. We just need to be a little sharper with our passing and finishing," Roland said.
