Box Score
 
NEWARK, NJ - Senior forward Franco Gamero scored two late goals, including the game-winning goal three minutes into overtime, giving the NJIT men's soccer team a thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the University at Buffalo Friday night at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
 
The win was the second straight win for the Highlanders (4-4). Buffalo fell to 1-5-1 on the season.
 
Gamero first tied the game in the 83^rd minute, when he knocked home a direct free kick from sophomore defender Marko Drljic. It was a loose ball in front of the goal and Gamero pushed it into the net for the equalizer.
 
Then, in the early stages of overtime, Gamero tallied the golden goal, again with help from Drljic, who put a free kick to the right corner of the box. Gamero then headed the cross from Drljic off the right post and then past Buffalo goalie Jeremy Figler for the game-winner. It was not only Gamero's second goal of the match, but it was the second assist for Drljic.
 
NJIT head coach Cesar Markovic was elated after the win.
 
“I think this is the biggest win we've had since I've been here,” said Markovic, in his second season as the Highlanders' head coach.  “It's because we didn't have our best. We were a little tired after having just played a tough game Wednesday (a win over Sacred Heart). But we put a lot into it. Their survival instinct kicked in and that's a sign of the way the program is developing. We didn't play our best, but we found a way.”
 
Markovic told his team to keep the pressure on the Bulls late in the game.
“I told them to put the ball in the box, to scramble for it and put them on their heels,” Markovic said. “We had to capitalize on the fact that they were getting tired.”
 
The Highlanders had the first chance of the match, when the ball entered in front of the net and Buffalo net minder Figler couldn't control it. But senior forward Gamero couldn't tee up an open shot in the fifth minute and the Highlanders remained off the scoreboard.
 
The Bulls then took a 1-0 lead in the 13^th minute, when Richard Craven unleashed a direct free kick from 20 yards out that NJIT senior goalkeeper Lars Maalen-Johansen did not have a chance to stop. Craven's shot gave him his third goal of the season.
 
The Highlanders had the next two good chances to score. Drljic, who was outstanding all night and played the second half after suffering a leg injury, had a direct free kick from 45 yards out that Figler secured in the 23^rd minute. In the 31^st minute, Cristian Marcel got his head on Drljic's free kick, but the attempt just sailed wide right of the goal.
 
The Highlanders finally got the equalizer in the 39^th minute. Freshman midfielder Enrique Hildago made his way through the center of the field, then kept his focus as the ball was deflected twice. Hildago maintained possession and fired a low shot that eluded Figler. It was Hildago's first goal of the season and was unassisted.
 
The Highlanders had a solid opportunity to take the lead in the 41^st minute, when Drljic fired a shot that was deflected in front by Gamero, but Figler made the big save.
 
The Bulls then took a 2-1 lead in the 44^th minute, when Marcus Hanson gathered a pass from Craven and fired a low left-footed shot that went past Maalen-Johansen. It was Hanson's first goal of the season.
 
The Highlanders had three excellent chances to get the equalizer in the opening minutes of the second half. Freshman defender Jimmy Myers got his head on a cross off a corner kick, but it bounced off the crossbar and over the bar in the 51^st minute.
 
In the 58^th minute, Drljic took a hard blast from 30 yards out, but the shot sailed wide left.  Three minutes later, Christian Galindo took a long shot from 40 yards out, but the shot was caught by Figler.
 
In the 73^rd minute, Myers hit the crossbar once again with a header off a direct kick from Galindo from the right side just outside the penalty box.
 
Maalen-Johansen made a spectacular game-saving stop in the 79^th minute, when Maksym Kowal had a breakaway attempt and moved in alone on the keeper, but Maalen-Johansen came far out of the goal to make a diving save.
 
It looked as if the Highlanders were going to suffer a tough loss, but thanks to the heroics of Gamero and Drljic, the Highlanders have reached the .500 mark again.
 
“Marko was drilling those balls in the box all game,” Markovic said. “Franco got off to a bit of a sluggish start this year, but he's off and rolling now. I think it's a tremendous sign that we came back. It's a tremendous sign of what's to come. This is a very young team. I keep explaining to them that it's very difficult to win on the Division I level.  For this team to have lost four in a row, then get back to .500 is tremendous.”
 
Markovic said that his personal Most Valuable Player of the match was freshman midfielder Michael DeLuise, who got the start over Nils Warfving, who had to sit out the match due to receiving a red card ejection against Sacred Heart.
 
“Michael was a lion out there,” Markovic said. “He was diving all over the place for loose balls. This was his first start in the middle of the field and he did a tremendous job.”
 
The Highlanders return to action Tuesday night when they play host to local rival St. Peter's University at Mal Simon Stadium for a 7 p.m. start.
 
Write up courtesy James Hague