New Brunswick boys soccer rallies to beat East Brunswick in OT

EAST BRUNSWICK - Down 2-0, the New Brunswick High School boys soccer team rallied for two goals in the second half and then scored the game winner in overtime to beat East Brunswick 3-2 in a Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division showdown on Thursday afternoon.

With less than two minutes remaining in overtime, Homer Melendez scored his second goal of the afternoon off an assist from Felix Rojas to win the game for New Brunswick. The ball was played in on a free kick from about the 30 yard line, Rojas got his foot on it and sent it up to where Melendez was waiting in front of the net. With East Brunswick defenders trying to clear, Melendez got his head on the ball and sent it past Bears goalie Lucas Espada for the golden goal.

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"I'm very happy and proud that the team won and that I was able to help the team out," Melendez said.

It was New Brunswick's fifth overtime game of the season and stretched its winning streak to four games. The Zebras, No. 2 in the Home News Tribune GMC Top 10, defeated the Bears (No. 5) 1-0 in double-overtime on Sept. 13.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game considering that we went into double overtime against them the first game," New Brunswick coach Rafael Castillo said. "I told my guys, come in with the expectation that they're going to come in to beat you, and I definitely think they came in, but we came out flat today in the beginning, and it took us a little bit of time to kind of get it together."

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East Brunswick (5-5-1) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first half. Sophomore midfielder Max Lee scored in the 17th minute off a pass from senior midfielder Samweal Mahrous in front of the net, then in the 26th minute junior defender Jagath Ranaweera scored on a header from another assist from Mahrous for the 2-0 advantage.

Both teams battled to start the second half as the Zebras tried to get past the Bears' defense and a staunch Espada, who made a number of big saves throughout the game. New Brunswick finally broke through in the 67th minute off a goal from Melendez. Just one minute later, Carlos Figueroa scored on an assist from William Rojas to tie the game 2-2.

"I think it says a lot about our squad," Castillo said of the Zebras' comeback. "I knew this game wasn't going to be easy, once they went up 2-0, I was a little concerned, but I know what my team is capable of, and I know that they can string along a couple of goals if they play together, and that's exactly what they did, and I'm very proud of what they accomplished today."

New Brunswick proved that it can't be counted out against any opponent, as the Zebras are 8-1-2 and sitting in second place in the GMC Red Division behind Monroe, the team responsible for their lone loss of the season.

"I think our strength is passing the ball and our speed," Castillo said. "We're trying to teach the kids how to play a little bit more of team soccer, working on our defensive shape, working on a couple of tactics here and there, but I think the kids are learning rapidly and they showed it today and I'm glad that the season has been going well for us so far."

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: lknego@gannettnj.com; on Twitter: @laurenknego