A Fordham and Hofstra player battles for the ball. (Photo courtesy of Fordham)

Eliot Goldthorp scored the game-winning goal with one second remaining as the No. 17 Hofstra University men won their season opener, 2-1, over Fordham University at Hofstra Soccer Stadium in Hempstead, N.Y. on Thursday night.

Hofstra is 17-0-3 in its last 20 games at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.

The teams played a scoreless first half that saw the Rams outshoot the Pride, 5-2. Hofstra goalkeeper Wessel Speel had two clutch saves.

The Pride struck first as Mason Tatafu scored off a header on a corner kick driven into the box by Stefan Mason at 62:06. Hofstra held the lead until 83:59, when Fordham’s Ben Shepherd sent a shot into the upper left corner from a pass by Sebastian Fabrin for a 1-1 tie.

The game seemed destined for a draw before the Pride got one last push in the final 10 seconds. Nico Oberrauch carried the ball upfield and sent a pass to Ryan Carmichael in the box. The junior forward settled it with one touch and sent a short pass to a streaking Goldthorp, who buried the ball in the net for the game-winner in his Hofstra debut after transferring from Old Dominion.

Speel finished with three saves, while Fordham keeper Demetri Skoumbakis made three saves.

Hofstra is 12-5-2 all-time against Fordham and has won three consecutive games against the Rams.

Hofstra hosts the University of Rhode Island on Monday at 7 p.m.

Fordham welcomes No. 1616 Providence College on Sunday at 1 p.m.

 

 

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.