LAKEWOOD, NJ (Oct. 3, 2026) - A very busy week for Georgian Court Men's Soccer ended on a Homecoming high. The Lions broke a 1-1 halftime tie with a goal in the 80th minute for a 2-1 win over soon-to-be CACC newcomers Monroe. The win moves Georgian Court to 6-2-3 on the season.
How it Happened
• Playing the second half of a back-to-back, Georgian Court decided to rest some regulars either entirely, or with reduced minutes.
• Monroe led in shots, 13-6 and shots on goal, 7-2, but the Lions made the most of their opportunities.
• The Mustangs put more on net, but didn't have many high-percentage scoring chances.
• The foul count was very high with GCU called for 22 and the Mustangs 18. The yellow cards were mostly kept in the official's pocket though as each team was only booked once.
1st Half
• Georgian Court came out with a lot of energy despite it being the second game in as many days.
• The Lions were quick to balls and made strong challenges without their regular starters in the game.
• That hard work paid off early as the Lions struck in the ninth minute. GCU won a corner kick and
Nicholas Damiano played the ball to
Ferdinand Holdhaus standing outside the 18 instead of into the box. Holdhaus fired and scored the game's first goal.
• The lead stayed 1-0 for a while.
Simon Mortensen made some saves on Monroe shots as the Mustangs mounted pressure after the Lions goal.
• In the 33rd minute, the Mustangs found the equalizer. Monroe's Matthew Murray-Smith chased down a ball down the sideline and dribbled into the box where he passed to Peterson Aquino whose one-timer went past
Simon Mortensen and into the net.
• There was only more shot the rest of the period, coming from the Mustangs in the closing seconds, but Mortensen made the save to keep the game 1-1 after 45 minutes.
2nd Half
• Early in the half the Lions were awarded a free kick.
Leo Elder served the ball into the box where
Giovanni Batista had a good look at a header, but it sailed just over the top of the crossbar.
• A GCU turnover in the defensive zone led to a scoring opportunity for the Mustangs in the 56th minute. Jin Yamamoto took on a pair of Lions and good a shot off with his left foot, playing it back right, but he pushed it wide for a goal kick.
• The Lions had some sustained pressure midway through the half, but still couldn't put a shot on target.
• Perhaps the best chance in the half for the Mustangs came in the 73rd minute. Murray-Smith had the ball on his foot in the box and ripped a point-blank shot but Mortensen was quick enough to get a hand on it and pop it over the crossbar.
• Georgian Court used some quick passing to retake the lead. At midfield,
Leo Elder moved the ball ahead as
Lennox Dorn chased it down. From just outside the box he passed to
Noah-Maxim Kleiser who shot right to left and gave the Lions a 2-1 lead with just 10 minute remaining.
• The Mustangs had one final chance and it came from a corner kick with 90 seconds left. Sebastian Faudoa took the service right in front of the goal line where he purposely headed the ball into the ground to get a bounce. The bounce he got was more than he was expecting though and it hopped all the way over the crossbar.
• GCU ran out the final 90 seconds and came away with a 2-1 win on Homecoming.
Lion Stat Leaders
•
Simon Mortensen got the win in goal making six saves.
•
Noah-Maxim Kleiser scored the game-winning goal.
•
Ferdinand Holdhaus also scored for GCU.
• GCU passers,
Nicholas Damiano,
Leo Elder and
Lennox Dorn all earned an assist.
For the Mustangs
• Matthew Murray-Smith took a game-high four shots. He didn't score but did pick up an assist.
• Peterson Aquino scored the Mustangs lone goal.
News and Notes
• The Lions have twice played on back-to-back days and the results were the same in 2026 as they were the first time around in 2018. A 0-0 draw in a game one and a one-goal win in game two.
• A number of Lions made their GCU debuts including Fernando Milanese,
Matthew Sanchez,
Adam Vecchioni and
Luis Leonor.
• Georgian Court's two shots on goal were their fewest this season, but every goal on target went into the net.
• This was the Lions and Mustangs first ever meeting.
Up Next
• Georgian Court is on the road this Tuesday, October 6 as they head to Philadelphia to take on Holy Family.Â
