— By David Walsh
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — For the second time this season, Marshall’s soccer team gave up what would be billed in hockey as an empty-net goal. The first came in the opener against Fairfield. The second occurred Sunday night when Virginia Commonwealth capitalized on the gift.
This time the Thundering Herd turned to the long shot to come back and take down the Rams, 3-1, in front of 2,118 fans at Hoops Family Field/Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex.
Thiago Apolinario of the Herd sent rocket No. 1 home in the 15th minute for a 1-all tie. In the 49th minute, after working the ball around the perimeter, Joao Roberto blasted one home to put the Herd ahead to stay, 2-1.
Carl Romberg, who again had a shot hit off the post and incurred an apparent take down in the box but no call came, closed the game in style when he got a ball in close, turned and fired a shot one to secure the win.
“Down or tied and then win. It’s like we have to be in a hole,” Marshall coach Chris Grassie said. “We’re good enough. You can see that we won’t be beat. It’s how do we find those good moments. We need enough guys to get 2,000 minutes, but by then the season will be over. The key is better communication. The way we pass the ball, talk to each other. It will come.”
At the outset, VCU sent a long ball over the top, Herd goalkeeper Yurij Obert came well off his line and Ty Johnson tracked the ball net and put it in the empty net in the sixth minute for a 1-0 lead.
The Marshall roster includes many new faces and the team’s just four games in (2-0-2). Grassie knows it takes time to put it all together.
“We have a lot of new faces. It takes time to get all the things we need,” Grassie said. “The way we need to pass the ball, communication with teammates around us. That has moments of pure clarity and moments of confusion. We have to ride this out, go through the rigors and we jell spot on.”
Grassie wanted to downplay that empty-net goal.
“Don’t won’t to talk about that,” Grassie said. “Again miscommunication”
The first two goals didn’t surprise Grassie they were of long-ranged variety.
“They were sitting very deep,” Grassie said. “I knew they’d be long shots. We had talked about that. We got two from defenders. They lead the race for goals. Those guys have canons.”
Romburg overcame the shot off the the post and a no-call on a take down in the box where he got hurt a bit and sat a short time in the second half to close out the night with a goal felt deserved.
“He’s playing all right. He got the takedown in the box and no foul’s called. You can see it on the replay,” Grassie said. “That’s why we rested him a bit. He’s got tremendous heart. He comes back and he’s buzzing around. He deserved that goal.
Roberto said his teammates will continue to mesh as one.
“We have a new team, a lot of new players,” Roberto said. “When we put everybody together, we’ll be fine. The long shots were there. I saw the opening for the shots and thank God for that.”
Marshall’s next match is Friday at home against Utah Valley. Start time is 7:15 p.m. VCU drops to 0-2-3.
The Rams had two good scoring chances in the second half. Kimarly Scott got behind the Herd defense, took a long ball, but off a weak shot against Obert. Later, he beat a Marshall defender and came in from the left side, but Obert dove and knocked the ball wide with his left arm.