— By David Walsh
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall got a goal for the second straight game on a penalty kick, and then converted a 2-on-1 break for late insurance to secure a 2-0 win over High Point on a windy Friday night in front of 1,972 fans at Hoops Family Field/Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex.
The final 11 minutes were played in heavy rain, but lightning, which stopped/delayed area football games didn’t halt the soccer action.
Rai Pinto got the score for the No. 7 Thundering Herd (3-1-0) on the penalty kick in the sixth minute. Fynn Geigel got whistled for taking down Tarik Pannholzer in the box and that set up Pinto. The referee went to video assisted review and confirmed his call.
Pinto had a goal on a PK in Marshall’s 6-1 win over Loyola, Md., on Monday at home.
“His turn,” Herd coach Chris Grassie said. “He’s really done well. We’ve got quite a few who can do that.”
Jefferson Amaya got hit with a red card for the Panthers (0-2-2) when he and Ryan Holmes got into an exchange in the 17th minute. The official went to video assisted review and the call stood.
The game-breaker came in the 82nd minute when Marco Silva scored after taking a pass from Pannholzer to finish the 2-on-1. Herd goalkeeper Dan Rose got the play started on the back end, Alexander Stjernegaard received a pass, found Pannholzer and the Herd delivered. The official again went to video assisted review about a possible offside, but let the goal stand.
“That was a good, smart play,” Grassie said. “We got the pass down the middle and were able to get the layup. The guys work on that quite often. It’s a signature play when teams go man. I wish they would go man more.”
Unfortunately for Pinto, he got a red card and ejection in the 39th minute when he knocked down a High Point player on a break. The call was denying a scoring chance.
“They had a game plan,” Grassie said of the Panthers. “They were tough to break down. We got the early penalty and goal. We’re still finding our rhythm. That foul high was tough. It’s hard to get the info out. He barely touched the guy and down he goes. We played 10-on-10 and the guys responded. In the second half we played great football.”
Rose, in his second start, got credit for one save.
“Teams that sit back we move the ball around in the back and try and create holes,” Grassie said. “You move the hole around to get the ball where you want.Silva’s goal is his second of the season. He got his shot over Panthers keeper Jason Caron who had moved out to challenge.
“The only thing I think is don’t screw it up,” Silva said. “It’s something instinctive. That’s the only space I had. Go over.”
Silva also ejoyed watching Pinto strike early.
“That’s awesome. He doesn’t miss in practice,” Silva said.
Silva said the Herd had a plan to handle playing a man up and then needed to do when the home side lost a man to even things up.
“Man down. That’s something you don’t prepare for during the week,” Silva said. “You adapt. In the summer when guys were coming in we did do some 10 vs. 10.”
High Point, a Patriot League member, finds a way to battle the Herd. Marshall won last year, 2-1.
“We knew they’d be a tough opponent,” Silva said. “You don’t take anything for granted. It came down to the last few minutes.”
Silva and his teammates were happy there were no weather delays.
“You could see it (lightning) in the distance,” he said. “Our thoughts were just let us finish.”eather see distance threat let finish.
Marshall, the preseason favorite to repeat as Sun Belt Conference champion, is back in action Tuesday at home against Gardner-Webb.
The match was a homecoming of sorts for High Point’s Mohammed Seidu. He played for the Herd in 2023. He’s started all four matches for his new team.