UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Ten-man Long Island Rough Riders men scored the first three goals and Manhattan SC tallied the final three as the USL League Two rivals battled to a 3-3 draw in a USL League Two match at Mitchel Athletic Complex on Wednesday night.
The hosts were forced to play the final 28 minutes of the match and stoppage time with 10 men after goalkeeper Gino Cervoni was served a red card in the 62nd minute.
Forward Jacob Woznicki scored two goals and set up another by Jack Stainrod for the Rough Riders (1-0-1, 4 points). Manhattan (0-0-1, 1).
After a rather tepid opening 15 minutes, Long Island found its attacking rhythm and struck for the first goal in the 17th minute. Woznicki, who plays his college ball for nearby Hofstra University, tallied his first goal of the young season, beating goalkeeper Charles DeMarco.
Later in the half, Woznicki turned playmaker, as he led Stainrod with a pin-point pass and the forward drilled a shot past DeMarco into the lower right corner to double the hosts’ lead on the half hour.
The Rough Riders were far from finished as Woznicki headed home from point-blank range via a long cross by Justin McLean from the right flank for a three-goal advantage in the 39th minute.
The visitors, however, weren’t about to roll over and play dead.
On a play that started off a corner kick, Keavon Evans pulled one back for Manhattan, heading the ball past Cervoni from close range in the 43rd minute, the first goal that the Rough Riders conceded this season.
The hosts had another opportunity to score before the half was called as Stainrod placed his point-blank attempt just over the crossbar in the 45th minute.
After Long Island was called for a foul in the penalty area, Mateo Ponce Ocampo sliced the deficit to 3-2, converting a penalty kick. Ocampo waited for Cervoni to commit himself his right and he slid the ball into an open lower left corner.
Manhattan came very close to leveling the score in the 51st minute, as Evans rifled a shot that hit the left post.
The game changed dramatically in the 62nd minute, when Cervoni received a red card for taking down Evans some 25 yards out of the goal. Without a keeper on the bench, Cervoni gave his shirt and gloves to Woznicki.
On the ensuing free kick, Gun Ha Lee drilled a shot over the defensive wall and into the upper right corner for a 3-3 deadlock in the 65th minute.
The Rough Riders had a golden opportunity to take the lead when Robert Lovelace’s shot was handled by a Manhattan player in the box in the 71st minute. McLean’s penalty attempt hit the crossbar. The ball bounded back to McLean, who headed it into the net. Long Island, however, was called for offside.
Despite playing with a man disadvantage for more than a half hour, the Rough Riders acquitted themselves well, holding off Manhattan – Woznicki acquitted himself well, making three saves – while they went on the attack when appropriate.
Neither team, however, could find the net and split the points.
The Rough Riders will play at the Cedar Stars Academy in Teaneck, N.J. on Wednesday, May 28 at 6 p.m. before returning home to meet Morris Elite SC in the second game of a doubleheader on Sunday, June 1 at 7 p.m. The women will face the Morris Elite SC in a USL W League contest at 4:30 p.m.
For the latest news about the Rough Riders’ men’s and women’s teams, visit www.LiRoughRiders.com.