Box Score
NEWARK, NJ—Erik Magnusson and Eddie Romero scored second-half goals for NJIT in the Highlanders' inspired come-from-behind 2-1 men's soccer win over visiting Rutgers on a cold Wednesday night on Lubetkin Field.
Romero knocked home the game-winner for the Highlanders, finishing a nice pass from Gustav Warfving at 82:05. It was the 10th career goal and second of the season for the hard-working Romero.
The Highlanders, hosting a Big East Conference opponent in men's soccer the first time in NJIT's five seasons as a Division I program, gave their strongest effort of 2008 from start to finish.
NJIT's high level of concentration and intensity was apparent from the start, but it was Rutgers that scored the only goal of the first half on an unassisted shot by Sal Fusari in the 36th minute.
But the Highlanders maintained their high level of play and drew even in the second half on Magnusson's team-leading fourth goal of the season at 56:54, assisted by freshman Luis Granizo, who notched his first college point.
Romero, who has responded to a remarkable run of bad shooting luck by continuing to work hard on and off the field, then got the game-winning goal of what will likely be the most memorable win of his college career.
Fifth-year senior Ryan Sutherland made seven big saves for the Highlanders, including a diving stop at the feet Rutgers' Yannick Salmon, who broke in alone for a shot in the 87th minute with many of the NJIT faithful demanding an offside call that never came.
Rutgers senior goalkeeper Amir Haghshenas made six saves.
The final statistics reflected how close the game was. Rutgers led in overall shots, 14-12, but the shots on goal were even at eight apiece. Rutgers had five corner kicks to four for the Highlanders and even the fouls were close—19 for NJIT and 17 for Rutgers.
The goal by RU's Fusari was the kind that has plagued NJIT all year, with a momentary lapse negating a long stretch of playing the opponent at least even.
The Scarlet Knights took a corner kick and the NJIT defense, trying to clear the ball out of the box in a scramble, booted it to Fusari, who controlled and fired from straight on about 15 yards out.
Later, Salmon was unfortunate not to make it 2-0 for Rutgers in the 42nd minute when his header was saved by Sutherland.
A common theme that has plagued NJIT all year is lack of goals, even at times when it is creating numerous chances. When that difficulty is followed by an opponent's goal, the Highlanders have had even more trouble drawing even.
But Wednesday night was not like so many others this season and NJIT kept plugging in the second half, earning the equalizer 11:54 after the intermission.
Granizo sent a header on to Magnusson positioned 10 yards away on the left side of the box. The junior then fired the ball beyond Haghshenas' hands for his 10th career goal.
NJIT's Sutherland got some help from the goalkeepers' proverbial friend when Rutgers senior Kevin McFadden hit the post in the 70th minute, preserving the 1-1 tie a few minutes longer.
Romero's winner came off of a pass by Warfving, who sent the ball ahead of Romero, who won the foot race to the ball and then floated it beyond Hagheshenas, who was coming off his line hoping to break up the play.
The game was far from over with nearly eight minutes to play, but Rutgers was thwarted both by Sutherland and the defenders in front of him who sacrificed their bodies to break up shots and passes. The most memorable play by the NJIT defenders came on a sliding tackle by Devon Newton near the end line to break up an especially dangerous threat.
“We've been preaching focus and sticking with the game plan,” said NJIT coach Pedro Lopes, who was a two-time all-American player at Rutgers in the 1990s and later an assistant at his alma mater for seven seasons under head coach Bob Reasso. “We've had opponents capitalize when we've lost our focus, but tonight, playing a big in-state team we focused and we outworked them and I thought we deserved the win.”
Wednesday night's scoring was a reversal of the first men's soccer meeting between the schools last October 10. Last season, the Highlanders grabbed a 1-0 lead on a goal from senior captain Bobby Herrera in the seventh minute and held it until Rutgers tied in the 74th minute and then took the lead in the 82nd minute on the way to a 2-1 win.
The Highlanders will play their final regular season Atlantic Soccer Conference game of 2008 when they host Howard on Lubetkin Field Saturday night at 7 o'clock.
