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In its first six games this season, the Rockville boys soccer team had scored a total of three goals, one of which came on a penalty kick. So a 1-0 halftime deficit to visiting Einstein may as well have been 50-0.
But in an astonishing turn of events, Rams senior co-captain Bryan Beiglerbeigi scored not once, but twice in a span of 6 minutes, leading Rockville to the 2-1 victory Tuesday afternoon.
"This is definitely an important win for us," said Beiglerbeigi. "Hopefully we can continue on this stride."
The win puts Rockville (2-5 overall, 1-3 Montgomery 3A/2A East) right back in the division race; a loss would have severely damaged its hopes.
Einstein (2-4, 1-2 3A/2A East) had been riding high after handing previously unbeaten Wheaton its first loss Friday. The Titans dominated action in the first half Tuesday with superior technical skill.
From the opening whistle, the Titans had scoring chances, starting in the second minute when midfielder Oscar Vargas sent a long strike sizzling toward the top of the net, but Rockville goalkeeper Ryan Hoppman tipped it high.
Hoppman (8 saves) played spectacularly, coming off his line to squelch several Titan opportunities, one being a punch-out on a dangerous corner sent in from Carlos Moradel.
Moradel, in turn, was fantastic on the ball, toying with Rams midfielders at times. He found the back of the net in the 25th minute from the top left of the 18-yard box, beating Hoppman far post for Einstein's goal.
In the second half, Beiglerbeigi recorded his first goal of the game in the 52nd minute off a feed from Gomez that he buried near post, catching Einstein goalie Michael Giglio (6 saves) leaning far-post.
"When you get in those close situations, you don't think," Beiglerbeigi said. "You just put it in the back of the net, and that's what I did."
His second goal came six minutes later in the 58th minute, latching onto the end of Fernando Ferrufino's cross to the left of the box. Beiglerbeigi proceeded to find the back of the net, causing jubilation on the Rams' bench and bewilderment on Einstein's.
Einstein had a great chance to equalize in the 71st minute after a Rockville handball at the top of its box. However, a brilliant bending shot from Moradel on the ensuing free kick was tipped over the crossbar by Hoppman, and Rockville held off a late rally to seal a huge win.
"We've had major problems scoring, but today we just clicked," said Rockville head coach Abdel Makhlouf. "Maybe we can build on that, if not for the division, then for the playoffs."
