SALEM, W. Va. (Sept. 14, 2017) – Sjoerd Schobbers scored the game-winning goal and finished with an assist and the Salem International University (SIU) Tigers men's soccer team held on to defeat the Concord University Mountain Lions 3-1.

Roughly an hour into the match, with the score tied 2-2, Ameen El-Shami froze a Concord defensive player with a sharp crossover in the left corner, creating enough space to send a high cross off his left foot towards the front of the net.

As the initial cross was deflected by a defender's header, Schobbers tracked the loose ball and delivered a sweeping right kick to send the ball past two defenders and settling in the sliver of space between the outstretched arms of Concord goalie Michael Adedigba and the crossbar for the deciding goal.

"It was a great team effort," Schobbers said. "We worked hard together and I'm proud of our team."



Frederico Toschi led the Tigers with two goals on six shots, scoring the first points of the match when Mark Ferenczi-Bako, spinning away from the middle towards the sideline, split two defenders with a perfectly weighted pass on the left side to El-Shami, who hit Toschi in perfect stride for the goal.

The Mountain Lions responded with two consecutive goals. Concord's Sam Ashton scored on a short, looping assist from Alex Rhodes over the top of the defense on the right flank near the 13-minute mark. Five minutes later, Moulay Hassani scored on a breakaway goal.

Salem tied the game with some rapid tic-tac-toe passing. Goalie Dominic Gillespie kicked the ball the length of the field, finding Schobbers in stride on the deep pass; who dropped the ball off to Niklas Roessler and cut to the right corner, losing his defender with a brief pause and change of pace burst.

Roessler sent a pass over his defenders' head, leading Schobbers on the give-and-go, who then delivered a beautiful cross to Toschi for the header into the back of the net.
The Tigers' offense did a great job of pinging the ball around the field with their passing attack, generating 14 shots to the Mountain Lions' 11.

Salem also showed discipline with no offsides penalties while Concord incurred four, with none more impactful than a penalty with 40 seconds remaining in the first half that interrupted a one-on-one break against the goalie.

Gillespie finished the game with five saves, allowing two goals. Adedigba had six saves and three goals allowed. With the win, the Tigers improve to 4-1-0 while the Mountain Lions drop to 1-4-0.

The Tigers will travel for their next three games, playing at Seton Hill University on Sept.  16 at 3:30, then Marian University and Malone University on Sept. 23 and Sept. 26.