Drexel Scores Two Second-Half Goals to Beat LaSalle 3-1

The Dragons continued to pin the Explorers back in their own end, and a 12^th minute corner from Park that curled into a stacked formation in the goalmouth looked promising, but Retzer fought through bodies and punched the ball away. A minute later, LaSalle’s Gabe Faust broke free down the left on a counter, and Drexel’s Raphael Bartell made a sliding stop to keep the ball out.

In the 23^rd minute, La Salle scored an equalizer. Alexandru Zama (Warminster, PA) sent an inswinger into the box off a corner that defender Lucas Kelly won in front of Bartell at the six. Kelly’s goal, his second as an Explorer, rejuvenated the visitors, and the momentum shifted as LaSalle began to force more turnovers through midfield and convert them into opportunities. Zama sent another corner through the box four minutes later that passed across the goal before Drexel’s defenders cleared it away, and five minutes after that Keiji Sugiura set up Faust with a sitter in front of goal, but the LaSalle striker blasted his shot over the bar.

Drexel slowly recovered their edge in the game, and in the 37^th minute, on a recycled corner, Christian Combs (North Wales, PA) combined with Worsfold-Gregg, who whipped in a cross that Gianluca Grubic headed on frame. But Retzer made a diving save, and Jeremy Ogango and Kelly prevented any chances at a rebound. Retzer saved another Combs to Grubic combo with less than five minutes to play, and Aamir Ketbache forced another Retzer save on another recycled corner in the final chance of the half for either team.

After the break, LaSalle came out with more of the game’s vigor and challenged the hosts throughout the opening ten minutes but couldn’t break the deadlock. Then in the 64^th minute the hosts took the lead for good. Park whipped a free kick into the box that skimmed across Lima-Bittencourt head and into the crowd. Gustavo Santana kept the ball alive, and Moerck got off the ground first following a collision with Lima-Bittencourt and tucked the ball past Retzer for the lead. The was Moerck’s third this season.

LaSalle took more risks in the final twenty minutes to grab another tying goal. Sugiura took a shot from the top of the box from a Zeke Zambrano layoff and put it over the bar. At the other end, Brian Salvino broke down the left on a counter, dribbling deep into the LaSalle penalty area, but Kelly and Sasha Rabala closed him down before reaching the goal. But a little controversy followed on the next counter two minutes later when Diallo reached the same spot until Zambrano intervened with a goal-saving challenge. The referee pointed to the spot though it appeared as if Zambrano had touched the ball, setting up Worsfold-Gregg to finish off the game from twelve yards away. Retzer guessed correct and made the initial save on the penalty, but the rebound came back to Worsfold-Gregg, and he tapped it into the empty net to extend Drexel’s lead. Worsfold-Gregg, last season’s team points leader, scored his third of the season.

The Dragons will face Stony Brook this weekend then travel to Villanova, who were ranked No.24 in the most recent United Soccer Coaches poll before falling to George Washington last Sunday. LaSalle will travel to GW this weekend.