ATLANTA – Eddie Wilding scored the game-winning goal in the 76th minute to lead the Georgia State men's soccer team to a 2-1 win over in-state rival Mercer Tuesday night at the GSU Soccer Complex. The Panthers improve to 8-7-1 and have won six straight matches at home. They are 8-2-1 in their last 11 matches.
Mercer went on the attack first in the 7th minute. David Murtaugh got behind the defense but GSU goalkeeper CJ Cochran beat him to the ball. Off the deflection, Ehjayson Henry fired a shot but it was too high.
Cochran made his first save of the half in the 14th minute on a shot by Mercer's Ian Antley. Georgia State responded with an attacking chance of its own in the 21stminute. Jamal Keene made a run to the near post but his header was wide right.
Despite the slow start, GSU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 26thminute on Abraham's sixth goal of the season. Mercer goalie Greg Ranjitsingh punched a cross away from danger, and Abraham was able to beat a bear defender to the ball. Then, Abraham finessed a shot over Ranjitsingh's head and in at the far post.
In the 30th minute Cochran made a diving save on a point blank shot by Bear midfielder Max Poore to protect Georgia State's 1-0 lead. Cochran made a diving save in the final minute of the first half on a header by Juan Jose Morales to keep GSU ahead 1-0 at the break.
After 45 minutes, Mercer held the edge in shots (7-4) and took the only two corner kicks. Cochran finished the half with three saves.
Three minutes into the second half Mercer tied the score 1-1 on Morales' fourth goal of the season. Antley and Murtaugh combined to find the forward with a through ball and Morales was able to chip the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net.
In the 56th minute, Mark Riggins nearly gave the Bears the lead but Cochran was able to push the ball wide of the left post. The Panthers responded with a near goal of their own in the 65th minute. Michael Nwiloh dribbled the ball towards the end line and fired a shot under Ranjitsingh but it was just wide of the right post.
In the 76th minute, Caleb Kernan was able to redirect Abraham's pass into the path of Eddie Wilding, who scored with a shot off the outside of his right foot into the top left corner past Ranjitsingh.
GSU secured the 2-1 win by not allowing Mercer to get a show on goal over the final 14 minutes of play.
Georgia State's CJ Cochran improves to 7-7-1 this season and he recorded seven saves on 13 total shots. Mercer's Greg Ranjitsingh falls to 3-13-1. He finished with one save on 13 shots faced.
The Panthers return to action on Saturday, Nov. 2, to host Incarnate Word in the final game of a four-match home stand. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at the GSU Soccer Complex.
