Eagles build lead, hangs on against Cougars

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on September 4, 2013 1:48 PM

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Rosewood did most of its damage early and hung on late.

Goldsboro was left wishing it had gotten started a little sooner.

Tan Truong converted a pair of first-half penalty kicks and the Eagles held off the Cougars for a 3-2 road win Tuesday evening.

Rosewood (2-1-1 overall) threatened early as Marquail Almontaser's shot from inside the 18-yard box was turned away by Goldsboro keeper Luke McAlduff in the first minute. The Eagles earned corner kicks in the 12th and 16th minutes.

Truong scored on penalty kicks in the 22nd and 34th minutes.

"Tan, a lot of times he's a difference maker," Rosewood head coach Eddie Maldonado said. "He's quick and he's skillful. He knows how to win free kicks and we've gotten several PKs this year."

The Cougars began to control play in the middle of the field and win loose balls in the second half. Goldsboro used the possession to generate scoring chances. Damon Pate's shot in the 43rd minute missed just wide.

The Eagles extended their lead to 3-0 in the 49th minute as Corey Lynn won a loose ball, dribbled past the defense and slipped a shot by McAlduff.

"I told our guys at halftime that PKs are nice, but we've got to score in the run of play because we're not always going to get those calls," Maldonado said. "This year it seems like we're struggling to score in the run of play. Last year we had some guys that had a nose for the goal and this year we still don't have that ballhawk-type player that is going to go find the ball in the 18 and go stick it in the back of the net."

Pate eventually got the Cougars (1-4-0) on the scoreboard in the 65th minute as he dribbled in to the 18-yard box and had his shot deflect off Eagles' keeper Daniel Herring and into the goal.

Goldsboro's Michael Eovine fired a shot past Herring as time expired.

"We've been talking to the guys about playing hard the whole game," Cougars' head coach Terry Walls said. "We'll play well the first half and not play as well the second half, or we'll play well in the second half but not the first half. We've got a lot of young kids and we're hoping to put it together by the time conference play starts."

Rosewood entertains Hobbton today, while Goldsboro visits Southern Wayne.