ANDERSON, S.C. - Junior Mattias Schyberg's 102nd minute double overtime golden goal propelled Anderson University men's soccer to a 2-1 victory over Young Harris Wednesday afternoon at Trojan Stadium.
The key region win moves the Trojans to 3-0 on the early season as they have outscored their opponents 13-4 in the trio of matches. The victory also gives AU its first double-overtime victory since the 2011 season when the Trojans knocked off Tusculum on Oct. 15.
"This match is a very good lesson for us," head coach John Murphy said. "I thought in the first two games we were very expansive and created a lot of chances and a lot of goals. We needed a game like this where we needed to tighten up."
Despite the action at the end of the second overtime period, the Trojans opened scoring in the 42nd minute when AU was awarded a free kick within the Young Harris defending zone. Redshirt sophomore Benoit Torres chipped in a pass and nicked the head of freshman Paul von Hinueber to give Anderson the 1-0 lead. For von Hinueber, the goal was his third on the season, as the freshman has now scored a goal in each of the three matches to begin the year.
In what looked to be a Trojan victory, the Mountain Lions got their equalizer off a play similar to AU's opening goal. Off a free kick, Niall McCabe found Paco Craig in the box who headed the ball to an open Illja Ilic who scored on the empty net. The Lion goal came with just 27 seconds left in regulation, as it was Ilic's third goal of the season.
After a first overtime period that saw no goals, Schyberg's winner came off a long pass that scooted past the YHC backline. Schyberg was able to control the long ball, made a 15-yard run and fired the game-winner behind Lion goalkeeper Pedro Ozi. The golden goal was Schyberg's second tally of the season.
"I thought the backline, Stefan Veljovic in particular, was magnificent," Murphy said. "He played like a senior and as good as I have ever seen him."
Goalkeeper Bo Haug earns his second win of the season, making eight saves, while redshirt sophomore Andre Carle led the team in shots with three.
The win will likely boost Anderson ahead of Young Harris in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Southeast Rankings that put Young Harris in the fifth spot, while AU was positioned sixth, pending AU's next match against Catawba. Kickoff from Trojan Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. immediately following the women's match.
