No. 2 Maryland Survives Delaware Rally, Wins 4-3 to Improve to 4-0

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — No. 2 Maryland men’s soccer survived its biggest scare of the young season Friday night, holding off Delaware for a dramatic 4-3 victory at Ludwig Field. The Terrapins scored twice in the opening nine minutes and carried a 3-1 lead into halftime, only to watch the Blue Hens erase that advantage with two late second-half goals. Dennis Kalanzi rescued Maryland in the 82nd minute with the first goal of his career, giving the Terps the lead for good and improving them to 4-0 for the first time since 2021.

Maryland controlled much of the match statistically, outshooting Delaware 16-7 and putting 11 shots on goal compared with six for the Blue Hens. The Terps also dominated the opening half, producing nine shots while allowing only two from Delaware. Yet the final score was much tighter than those numbers suggest because Delaware converted nearly every quality opportunity it created.

The Terps wasted little time establishing control. Henry Bernstein recorded Maryland’s first shot in the third minute before Albi Ndrenika opened the scoring at 5:55. Bernstein and Franklin Affanyi assisted on Ndrenika’s first goal of the season, giving Maryland a 1-0 lead less than six minutes into the match.

Maryland struck again less than three minutes later. Rodrigo Neri scored his second goal of the season at 8:43, finishing a play created by Rocket Ritarita and Ndrenika to extend the lead to 2-0. The goal continued Neri’s strong early-season form after he also delivered the late game-winner against No. 9 High Point in Maryland’s previous match.

At that point, Maryland appeared capable of turning the night into a rout. The Terps had two goals before the 10-minute mark, were controlling possession and were making Delaware chase the game from the opening whistle. Instead, the Blue Hens responded and prevented Maryland from completely pulling away.

Marius Stenner cut Maryland’s lead to 2-1 at 19:21, scoring his first goal of the season off assists from Richard Monath and German Argueta. The goal gave Delaware life after the Terps had dominated the opening stretch. Laurin Mack later made an important save in the 27th minute to preserve Maryland’s advantage.

Maryland restored its two-goal cushion before halftime. Zack Harris scored his first goal as a Terrapin at 38:51, finishing off an assist from Farouk Cisse to push the lead to 3-1. The goal capped a strong first half in which Maryland outshot Delaware 9-2 and consistently generated the more dangerous attacking opportunities.

The 3-1 halftime advantage accurately reflected how Maryland had played. The Terps were sharper offensively, more aggressive in the attacking third and far more productive in shot creation. The concern, however, was that Delaware had already shown it did not need many opportunities to score.

Maryland continued pressing after halftime instead of immediately sitting on the two-goal lead. Dominic Ayella forced a Delaware save in the 52nd minute, Kenny Quist-Therson created another threatening opportunity in the 59th and Ritarita tested the goalkeeper again in the 61st. The Terps remained the more active attacking team, but they could not find the fourth goal that might have ended the contest early.

Mack also had to remain alert at the other end. He made his second save in the 67th minute and another in the 72nd, keeping Delaware from cutting into Maryland’s lead during a stretch when the Blue Hens began showing more urgency. Marco Wright then put another shot on goal for Maryland in the 73rd, but the Terps still could not find the insurance goal.

That inability to finish the game became important almost immediately.

Mason Booz scored for Delaware at 75:22, converting a chance created by Emmett Kershner and Argueta to cut Maryland’s lead to 3-2. Suddenly, a match the Terps had controlled for most of the night became a one-goal game with nearly 15 minutes remaining.

The situation became even more dangerous five minutes later. Frederik Flaskager tied the match at 80:11 off an assist from Monath, stunning Maryland and erasing the two-goal halftime advantage. Delaware had scored twice in less than five minutes and completely changed the energy at Ludwig Field.

Maryland’s response was immediate.

Just 82 seconds after Delaware tied the match, Kalanzi put the Terps back in front at 81:33. Bernstein delivered his second assist of the night, and Kalanzi finished the opportunity for the first goal of his Maryland career. The strike gave Maryland a 4-3 advantage and stopped Delaware’s comeback before the Blue Hens could build on the momentum of their tying goal.

The timing of Kalanzi’s goal made it one of the most important moments of Maryland’s season so far. Delaware had just scored twice in rapid succession, and the Terps could easily have become rattled after losing control of a match they once led comfortably. Instead, Maryland answered almost immediately and showed the composure expected from the No. 2 team in the country.

Maryland then protected the lead over the final minutes and escaped with the 4-3 victory. Mack finished with three saves on six Delaware shots on goal. The Blue Hens’ goalkeeper made seven saves as Maryland consistently tested the Delaware defense throughout the night.

The statistical contrast was striking. Maryland finished with 16 shots and 11 on goal, while Delaware managed only seven total shots and six on frame. Delaware actually held a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks, but Maryland generated far more opportunities through open play.

Neri led Maryland with four total shots and put two on goal, continuing to serve as one of the primary attacking threats. Harris finished with two shots and scored once, while Ndrenika and Kalanzi each converted their only shot on goal into goals. Ndrenika also added an assist, giving him a three-point night.

Bernstein may have been one of Maryland’s most important players despite not scoring. He assisted on Ndrenika’s opening goal and then delivered the setup for Kalanzi’s winner, giving him two assists on the night. That pushed his season total to four assists through Maryland’s first four matches.

The balanced scoring should be encouraging for head coach Sasho Cirovski. Four different Terrapins scored against Delaware, and several different players contributed assists. Maryland is not relying on a single scorer to carry the attack, which makes the Terps more difficult to defend.

The victory also continued an impressive stretch at Ludwig Field. Maryland has now won 11 consecutive regular-season home matches and improved to 3-0 at home this season for the first time since 2021. The Terps also extended their regular-season unbeaten streak to 19 matches.

Maryland’s 4-0 start is its best since 2021. Through four matches, the Terps have outscored opponents 10-6 and have controlled the overall shot battle 69-37. Those numbers reflect a team that has generally dictated play even when some of the final scores have been close.

Friday was also Maryland’s third consecutive victory over Delaware. The matchup was the seventh meeting between the programs in a series that dates to 1941, with Maryland improving to 4-3 all-time against the Blue Hens.

Still, the way Maryland won gives Cirovski plenty to address. The Terps had a 3-1 lead with 15 minutes remaining and nearly allowed a game they controlled to slip away. Against stronger opponents, a similar five-minute defensive lapse could be much more difficult to overcome.

That concern becomes especially relevant because Maryland’s next opponent represents a major step up in competition. The Terps remain home to face No. 5 Georgetown on Sept. 7 in a top-five matchup at Ludwig Field. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be televised on BTN.

The Georgetown matchup should provide one of the clearest early-season tests of Maryland’s national championship potential. Maryland has already defeated No. 9 High Point and now enters the showdown undefeated and ranked No. 2 nationally. If the Terps can clean up the defensive mistakes that nearly cost them against Delaware, they will enter the match with considerable momentum.

MSB Take

This was both an encouraging and concerning win for Maryland.

The encouraging part is obvious. Maryland scored four goals, generated 16 shots, put 11 on target and received goals from four different players. The Terps showed attacking depth, responded immediately after Delaware tied the game and found a way to win when momentum had completely shifted against them.

Kalanzi deserves a lot of credit. Scoring your first career goal is already memorable, but doing it in the 82nd minute less than two minutes after the opponent erased a two-goal lead is something completely different. That was a massive response from a Maryland team that could easily have panicked after Delaware made it 3-3.

Bernstein also deserves recognition for quietly being one of the biggest reasons Maryland won. Two assists, including the helper on the game-winner, gave the Terps exactly the kind of midfield production they need. Maryland’s offense looks extremely dangerous when players throughout the lineup are creating chances.

The concerning part is the way Maryland nearly gave the match away.

You cannot lead 3-1 in the 75th minute at home and allow the opponent to tie the game five minutes later. Delaware only had seven shots all night, yet scored on three of them. Maryland controlled nearly every important statistical category and still found itself tied late because defensive mistakes and clinical Delaware finishing turned a comfortable advantage into a frantic finish.

That does not make this a bad win. Good teams sometimes have to survive games when things suddenly start going wrong, and Maryland did exactly that. The Terps did not collapse after Delaware tied it; they answered almost immediately and closed the match out.

The bigger picture remains extremely positive. Maryland is 4-0 for the first time since 2021, has won 11 straight regular-season matches at Ludwig Field and is unbeaten in 19 consecutive regular-season games. Those are not accidental numbers.

Now comes Georgetown.

No. 2 Maryland against No. 5 Georgetown at Ludwig Field is exactly the kind of early-season game that tells you whether a team is simply playing well or has legitimate national championship potential. Maryland has already shown it can dominate, win close games and respond under pressure.

Against Georgetown, the Terps will need all of those qualities without the late defensive breakdowns they showed against Delaware.