By: Dave Gurney
NORTH BRUNSWICK Soccer is a funny game.
You can control the time of possession, have the better of the play, and have the most opportunities offensively.
But most of the time, you just have to have the breaks.
Whether or not they will fall your way could determine your fate more than anything else.
For the Monroe Township High School boys soccer team in their first loss of the season, a 2-1 defeat Wednesday to county power North Brunswick, having the better of play and having more offensive scoring chances just wasn’t enough.
They just didn’t have an answer for All-State forward Ibrahim Kamara.
"We knew what they had and mistakes in the back cost us, same thing in the counties last year," Monroe head coach Steve McKenzie said following the defeat at North Brunswick High School. "We just have to do a better job finishing and it was tough on this field. The adjustment going from turf to grass hurt us, but we just have to put the ball in the net."
McKenzie was alluding to last season’s loss in the GMC Championship game on the same field to North Brunswick last season, where Kamara preyed on the Monroe defense in the same fashion, capitalizing on counters and breakaways.
This time he was able to capitalize on two counter-attacks, one in each half, to put the Falcons in a 2-0 hole with a little over 15 minutes to go in the second half. The first, scoring off a through-ball by teammate Evans Ofori and the second, a breakaway on which he beat goalie Mike Rettberg (five saves) near-post for the eventual game-winning goal.
"It’s frustrating, the same thing as the finals last year," senior forward Frank Carr said. "He gets one breakaway he’s going to put it away. Not much you can do about that."
Monroe was also dealt another blow when midfielder Brendan Sebastian injured his knee on a play right outside North Brunswick’s 18-yard box. The sophomore was forced leave the game, leaving the Falcons without one of their steadying presences in the middle.
"We wanted to win the game for him," Carr said. "He went out of the game with a bad injury on a bad play in my eyes. We told each other we have to regroup and win this game."
The Falcons regrouped and showed resiliency, answering mere minutes after Kamara’s second tally.
Off a Falcons throw-in, Carr capitalized off a scrum in the box, winning possession of the ball and beating goalie Justin Smith high corner to pull the Falcons within one.
"Basically I was looking for the ball on a flick," said Carr, whose eight goals are good for the team lead. "The ball came over the top, I chested it and volleyed it. Basically, you just want to find the ball and put a foot on it."
Monroe (6-1) turned on the pressure late, getting numerous opportunities on a North Brunswick defense clearing the ball out, desperately trying to hold on for the victory.
But the Falcons simply couldn’t convert, out-shooting the Raiders 15-11 but falling by a goal in a game that grew more chippy and physical by the second.
"The team showed a lot of heart and intensity," McKenzie said. "We just have to learn how to win these games."
Monroe will get another crack at North Brunswick this season, which made the move back to the White Division this year after several seasons in the Red, on Oct. 12 at home.
For Carr, that game won’t come soon enough.
"We dominated the play, they just got two counters and put them away," Carr said. "I think we’re the better team by far. We still play them again and probably in the GMC’s, so we have another shot at them."
