Middle vs. Delran -- state soccer semifinal
Posted by Brian Cunniff at 11/18/2008 7:51 PM and is filed under uncategorized 
The New Jersey Group II semifinal game between South Jersey champ Middle and Central Jersey champ Delran has just gotten under way. We'll keep blogging with updates.
Middle with four corners early, with the best chance coming when Zach Todd heads Austin Johnson's cross over the bar.
Kevin Lombardo gets his head on BJ Mastrangelo's cross but the Delran keeper is up to the challenge in the 10th minute.
Zach Todd gets a direct kick from 30 yards but hits it wide of the right post in the 14th minute. Middle clearly carrying play at this point.
Delran's Joe Hackimer gets free in the area for a volley but sends it over the bar for his team's first good chance in the 19th minute.
Vinny Corallo gets a shot from the 18 for Delran but Middle's Matt Rixey knocks it away in the 20th minute.
Poor marking by Middle off a throw-in results in a chance but a Delran shot hits a crowd of players in front and squirts wide of the left post in the 26th minute.
Card given to Jackson Machado of Delran for a hard foul on Middle's Zach Todd in the 34th minute.
GOAL!!!!! Middle Township! Austin Johnson tips home a long direct kick cross from BJ Mastrangelo in the 37th minute to give Middle a 1-0 lead.
Johnson gets another chance for Middle on a counterattack just before the first-half whistle but sails his shot over the net from 12 yards.
Middle Township 1, Delran 0 at the half.
We're now under way in the second half.
Kevin Lombardo misses the left post in the 41st minute after taking a long pass.
GOAL!!!!! Middle Township! Austin Johnson scores, ripping a shot off the goalkeeper's fingertips and into the goal.
Delran nearly answers but Joe Hackimer's shot, after Middle keeper Matt Rixey came off his line, is blocked away by Middle sweeper Billy Daniels.
GOAL!!! Delran! Dominic Nocito converts the rebound of a shot by Ali Gochmez in the 49th minute to bring Delran within a goal.
Delran really pressing forward now. They nearly get the equalizer with Rixey off his line but the shot goes over the bar in the 55th minute.
GOAL!!!!! And Delran equalizes! Dave Riviero knocks it through after Joe Kane's first shot is stopped by Matt Rixey in the 68th minute. We are tied at 2-2.
Delran another good chance but sends one over the bar. Middle is reeling right now.
Zach Todd gets a header on goal but it's cleared off the line by a Delran back in the 64th minute.
Ryan McCusker takes a good foul and gets yellow carded for stopping a Delran break.
GOAL!!!! Delran has stunned Middle! Bob Alibone scores on a long direct kick from 50 yards in the 66th minute to give his side a 3-2 lead.
GOAL!!! And Delran has really turned it around and has left Middle helpless. Joe Kane volleys from 25 yards and Rixey has no chance. Delran leads 4-2.
Austin Johnson gets a direct kick from the right flank but sends it over the bar. Just eight minutes remaining.
Johnson another chance just six minutes from full time but the keeper makes a diving save.
AND THE MATCH GOES FULL TIME ... Delran 4, Middle Township 2. Delran moves on to play for the state Group II title on Saturday, while Middle's season ends at 20-4.
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