LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ–The NJIT men's soccer team dropped a 2-1 decision at Rider Saturday evening at Ben Cohen Field in men's soccer non-conference action.

Rider, a 2023 NCAA Tournament team and 2023 MAAC Champions, came from behind to pull out the victory, winning its fourth straight match, improving to 4-2 overall while the Highlanders moved to 2-3-1 on the young season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Visiting NJIT struck first in the eighth minute on a goal by Asembo Augo to go ahead 1-0.  Augo carried the ball up the left side of the field and made a nice quick move inside the box and fired a right-footed shot past the Rider goalkeeper.

Second goal of the season for Asembo ‼️ https://t.co/Wl0rQg0wXv pic.twitter.com/B5pfEZiOmX

— NJIT Men's Soccer (@NJITsoccer) September 14, 2024

• Rider scored the equalizer in the 27th minute off a give and go from Bryan Akongo to Ezra Punselie to knot the match at 1-1.

• NJIT's Devin Armstrong made a diving save to keep the score at 1-1 in the 43rd minute off a free kick by Theo Silva into the upper right.

• Rider outshot NJIT in the first 45 minutes, 5-1, with the Highlanders lone shot on the night coming off the foot of Augo in the eighth minute.

• Armstrong faced five Broncs shots, stopping four to keep the match tied at 1-1.

• In the 57th minute, Jack McGeechan blasted a shot just outside the box, sailing far left of the post. 

• NJIT with three shots on target in the 60th by Giovanni Massacesi (low center) and a pair of shots in the 62nd by Andrew Araya and Sokol Ymeraj, both to the lower left side of the goal.

• The Broncs' scored the go-ahead goal on a strike from 2023 MAAC first team selection Momo Diop on a right-footed strike to the far side corner of the goal to give the Broncs a 2-1 advantage in the 73rd minute.

• Three minutes later, the Broncs with a point blank shot inside the box on a header by Adel Masude but Armstrong again came up with another diving save.

• The final shots were in favor of Rider, 10-4.

NOTES

• The goal for Augo was his second of the season and his eight of his career.

• Armstrong combined for four saves in 90 minutes.

NEXT UP
NJIT will return home and play the next three out of four matches at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.  NJIT will welcome CCSU on September 18 at 7pm.

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