Late goal pushes No. 2 Maryland men’s soccer past No. 14 Washington 1-0

Photo by Allison Mize/Maryland Terrapins. Photo courtesy of Maryland Athletics.

No. 2 Maryland men’s soccer’s offense had dominated in the second halves all season. The Terps entered Friday’s match scoring 25 out of 35 goals this season in the final 45 minutes. 

The Terps continued that trend as a shot by senior forward Sadam Masereka bounced off the head of senior midfielder Joseph Umberto Picotto, landed right in front of midfielder Albi Ndrenika. The senior drove a shot into the open goal, giving Maryland a 1-0 lead with 7:42 remaining in the game.

Backed by Ndrenika’s late score, Maryland edged past No. 14 Washington 1-0 on Friday night in its final regular-season game at Ludwig Field. The win was crucial for Maryland’s standing in the Big Ten as the Terps needed just one point in their final game of the season to secure the Big Ten regular-season title.

“I just try to be on the end of a lot of second balls,” said Ndrenika. “Joseph did very well with that, so when he went up for the ball, I was just like, ‘Where can I put myself in a position to get this wherever it goes?’”

The first half of the match showcased both Maryland’s (11-0-3, 7-0-2 Big Ten) and Washington’s (10-4-2, 7-2-0 Big Ten) defenses. The two units were aggressive throughout the half, quickly applying pressure in the midfield and in each team’s defensive zone.

Defenders Lasse Kelp and Tristen Rose dominated the Terps’ backline vigorously. The two aided Maryland’s defense in eliminating junior forward Charlie Kosakoff and sophomore midfielder Zach Ramsey. The two entered the match ranking inside the Big Ten’s top five in goal scoring, but combined for just two shots — none of which were on goal. 

“I think Lasse and Tristien are probably the best center back partnership in the league,” Cirovski said. “Washington has a terrific center back partnership… but the chemistry those guys have developed in one year is pretty remarkable.”

Each team’s physicality was evident throughout the half, totaling 16 combined fouls. The physicality aided both teams in limiting shots, as Maryland and Washington combined for just five shots in the opening 45 minutes.

Despite the Huskies’ strong defense, the Terps’ offense found momentum towards the end of the half. Sophomore forward Stephane Njike was responsible for all three of Maryland’s shots, and his best chance came in the 36th minute.

The duo of Njike and Masereka almost netted the first goal of the match on Maryland’s third shot. Masereka fed the ball to Njike in the box, who ripped a blistering shot through the horde of bodies. But the ball struck the inside right side of the goalpost and bounced out. 

The Terps carried that momentum into the second half, recording nine shots in the first 20 minutes. However, Maryland struggled with accuracy, as seven of those shots missed the cage. 

When Maryland placed a shot on net, goalkeeper Jadon Bowton frequently thwarted the opportunity. The graduate student finished the game with four saves. 

Maryland’s best chances once again came from Njike. The French native nearly scored another stellar goal in the 70th minute after losing a defender, but pushed the ball just wide of the left goal post. Njike had another opportunity in the box roughly two minutes later and dropped to his knees in frustration after missing to the left again.

But Maryland’s offense eventually capitalized as Ndrenika capitalized on a fortunate bounce off the head of Umberto Picotto. The score was the game’s only goal.

“Joe made a terrific challenge there, and Albi was [in] a great position to finish it off,” said head coach Sasho Cirovski.

With the win, the Terps now sit atop the Big Ten standings heading into their final regular-season game against Michigan State.