Derrick Etienne tallied the game-winner in the 75th minute. (FrontRowSoccer.com Photo)
MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Haitian international Derrick Etienne, Jr. broke a 1-1 tie in the 75th minute to lift Red Bulls II to a 2-1 victory over the first-place Charleston Battery in a United Soccer League match at MSU Soccer Park Sunday afternoon.
Junior Flemmings connected for the equalizer.
NYRB II snapped a three-game losing streak, while also breaking Charleston’s seven-game unbeaten run in the league.
New York started the game on the right foot, counter-pressing a side playing its third game in eight days.
Charleston opened the scoring in the 45th minute, beating NYRB II goalkeeper Ryan Meara off a free kick just outside the 18-yard box.
For the second week in a row, Flemmings wrote his name on the scoresheet, heading home a corner kick from the foot of Vincent Bezecourt to equalize in 54th minute.
Red Bulls II pushed for the go-ahead goal and found it in the 75th minute off an Etienne set piece that snuck over Charleston’s wall leaving no chance for the keeper.
Charleston threatened after the insertion of the USL’s second-leading goalscorer Romario Williams, but Meara came up with some key saves.
Scoring summary:
CHS: Justin Portillo 2 (unassisted) 45′
NY: Junior Flemmings 4 (Vincent Bezecourt) 54′
NY: Derrick Etienne Jr. 1 (unassisted) 75′
Misconduct Summary:
NY: Andrew Tinari 22′
NY: Ryan Meara 42′
NY: Hassan Ndam 44′
CHS: Ricky Garbanzo 65′
NY: Vincent Bezecourt 79′
New York: Meara; Najem (Justin Bilyeu, 79th minute), Ndam (Tim Schmoll, 88th minute), Abidor, O’Toole; Basuljevic, Tinari; Flemmings, Bezecourt, Etienne Jr. (Florian Valot, 81st minute); Allen
Charleston: Cooper; Griffith, Mueller, Robinson, Thomas; Otoo (Maikel Change, 59th minute), Goslin (Ataulla Guerra, 80th minute), Portillo, Marini; Garbanzo; Cordoves (Romario Williams, 69th minute)