Final Stats

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Tobenna Uzo had himself a night in leading No. 9/10 Coastal Carolina to a 3-2 victory over Winthrop in Big South Conference action Wednesday evening in Charlotte, N.C. The senior assisted on the Chanticleers' first two goals and scored the eventual game-winner.

The match was played at Queens University's Sports Complex at Marion Diehl Park after inclement weather in the Rock Hill area rendered Winthrop's Eagle Field unplayable.

Winthrop's Jordi Lluch gave the Eagles a quick 1-0 advantage as he converted a penalty kick in the second minute. The penalty attempt was awarded following a seemingly soft collision in the box involving Coastal's Fernando Pina.

Arnar Geirsson erased the Chants' one-goal deficit and leveled the score 1-1 in the 15th minute. Tobenna Uzo flicked on a long ball from near the top of the box to the charging Geirsson, who chipped it over the WU keeper for his second goal of the season.

Martin Melchor found the back of the net for the first time this season, staking the Chants a 2-1 lead in the 39th minute. Freshman Ryan Willoughby sent a cross from the right side toward the far post that was headed back across the goal mouth by Uzo. Melchor, who was making a run through the middle spotted the ball and knocked it inside the right post.

Coastal closed the half with one additional shot from inside the Winthrop 6-yard box, but it was blocked by a defender. The Chants and Eagles entered the intermission with Costal leading 2-1 and holding a 7-5 lead in shots.

Uzo gave the Chanticleers a 3-1 lead with his fifth goal of the season. Melchor played a perfect cross from the right flank to Uzo at the left post. Uzo ran on to the ball and stuck it home between the left post and Winthrop diving Broich.

Winthrop's Charles Coulson snuck a shot through traffic and inside the left post to cut the Coastal advantage to 3-2 in the 78th minute. The goal was a result of a loose ball in the box following a Winthrop direct kick and several shot attempts that were not cleared.

Coastal defended well in the final minute and Pina made a highlight reel-worthy save to secure the 3-2 victory.

The Chanticleers finished the match with a slim 11-10 shot advantage and a 5-4 edge in corner kicks. Coastal's Pina was credited with three saves and the win, while Winthrop Fabian notched three saves in the loss.

Coastal returns home on Saturday to face Big South-leading Radford at 6 p.m. Prior to the match seniors Colin Marz, Arnar Geirsson, Gisli Helgason, Bryce Follensbee and Tobenna Uzo will be honored for their accomplishments and contributions to Chanticleer soccer.

FIRST HALF:
2' Winthrop's Lluch put the Eagles on the board first as he converted a penalty kick. The penalty attempt was awarded following a soft collision in the box involving Coastal's Pina that resulted in a yellow card.

13' Pina kept Coastal at a one-goal deficit with an acrobatic one-handed save on a point-blank shot by Winthrop's Max Hasenstab.

15' Geirsson leveled the match with his second goal of the season. Uzo flicked on a long ball from near the top of the box to the charging Geirsson, who chipped it over the WU keeper.

33' Winthrop's Hasenstab was shown a yellow card.

37' Winthrop Kyle Kennedy was shown a yellow card, setting up an Einar Einarsson shot from 24-yards out.

38' Martin Melchor had a good look at goal from the left corner of the 18-yard box, but his one-time went high of the crossbar.

39' Melchor found the back of the net for the first time this season, staking the Chants a 2-1 lead. Willoughby sent a cross from the right side toward the far post that was headed back across the goal mouth by Uzo. Melchor, who was making a run through the middle spotted the ball and knocked it inside the right post.

45' The horn signaled for halftime - with the Chanticleers leading 2-1.

SECOND HALF:
58' Uzo gave the Chanticleers a 3-1 lead with his fifth goal of the season. Melchor played a perfect cross from the right flank to Uzo at the left post. Uzo ran on to the ball and stuck it home between the left post and Winthrop diving Broich.

63' Winthrop's Magnus Thorsson was shown a yellow card.

72' Winthrop gained control of the ball repeatedly in the midfield, but each Eagle attack was cut down by the Chanticleer defensive midfielders and backline before reaching the attacking third.

78' Winthrop's Coulson snuck a shot through traffic and inside the left post to cut the Coastal advantage to 3-2. The goal was a result of a loose ball in the box following a Winthrop direct kick and several shot attempts that were not cleared.

89' Coastal's Tommy Gudmundsson was shown a yellow card. The resulting free kick forced a save by Coastal's Pina followed by a defensive clearance by Uzo to keep Coastal with the 3-2 advantage.

90' The final horn sounded, resulting in a 3-2 Chanticleer victory.

SCORING SUMMARY
WU: Jordi Lluch (penalty kick) 1:12
CCU: Arnar Geirsson (Tobenna Uzo) 14:15
CCU: Martin Melchor (Tobenna Uzo, Ryan Willoughby) 38:12
CCU: Tobenna Uzo (Martin Melchor) 57:44
WU: Charles Coulson (Jordi Lluch, Sal Perez) 77:45