No. 7 Maryland Rallies Past New Haven, 3-2, in Wild Home Opener
No. 7 Maryland men’s soccer overcame a halftime deficit and a frantic second-half stretch to defeat New Haven, 3-2, Monday night at Ludwig Field.
Henry Bernstein, Dominic Ayella and Leon Koehl scored for the Terrapins, who improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2022. Maryland also extended its regular-season unbeaten streak to 17 matches and has now won 10 consecutive regular-season games at Ludwig Field.
It was far from an easy night for Maryland.
New Haven stunned the Terps by scoring on its first shot of the game in the fifth minute. Maryland controlled most of the opening half from there, but the Chargers took a 1-0 advantage into halftime despite the Terps holding a commanding 10-2 advantage in shots.
Maryland generated several opportunities before the break. Rodrigo Neri recorded the Terps’ first shot in the 12th minute, while Franklin Affanyi forced a save in the 23rd. Kenny Quist-Therson nearly equalized in the 33rd minute, but Maryland could not find the finishing touch.
That changed quickly after halftime.
Terps Come Alive in Second Half
Bernstein brought Maryland level in the 52nd minute, scoring an unassisted goal to make it 1-1. It was Bernstein’s second goal contribution-filled performance in as many matches after he assisted on both Maryland goals in the season-opening victory over Pittsburgh.
Only 106 seconds later, Maryland took the lead.
Ayella scored his first goal of the season in the 54th minute, with Dennis Kalanzi and Koehl combining on the assists. Suddenly, a Maryland team that trailed for nearly the entire first half had flipped the match and grabbed a 2-1 advantage.
New Haven refused to go away.
The Chargers equalized in the 57th minute, making it 2-2 during a wild sequence in which four goals were scored over approximately six minutes.
Maryland’s response was almost immediate.
Just 23 seconds after New Haven tied the match, Koehl put Maryland back in front. Rocket Ritarita supplied the assist as Koehl scored his first goal of the 2026 season to give the Terps a 3-2 lead.
This time Maryland did not give it back.
The Terps controlled the remainder of the match and held on for their second consecutive one-goal victory to open the season.
Maryland Dominates the Numbers
The final score was close, but Maryland controlled the overwhelming majority of the action.
The Terps outshot New Haven 29-5 for the match and earned 11 corner kicks. Maryland also used 19 players, giving head coach Sasho Cirovski an opportunity to work several players into the rotation during the home opener.
Maryland’s biggest issue was converting its dominance into goals, particularly during the first half. New Haven made the most of its limited opportunities, scoring twice on only five total shots.
Still, Maryland showed an ability to respond when the game became chaotic.
Trailing 1-0 at halftime could have created frustration after the Terps controlled possession and opportunities. Instead, Maryland scored twice in less than two minutes to take the lead.
Then, after surrendering the equalizer, Maryland needed only 23 seconds to answer again.
That type of response could become important as the schedule becomes considerably tougher.
Strong Start Continues
Maryland’s 2-0 start has already featured two very different victories.
The Terps opened the season with a 2-1 road victory over Pittsburgh behind two goals from freshman Said El Eyssami. Bernstein assisted on both goals in that match.
Against New Haven, Maryland needed contributions from several different players.
Bernstein scored, Ayella recorded his first goal of the season, Koehl produced a goal and an assist, Kalanzi added an assist and Ritarita picked up his first assist.
That offensive balance is encouraging for a Maryland team with national championship expectations.
The Terps entered the season ranked No. 7 nationally after an outstanding 2025 campaign in which they finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
Maryland has now gone 17 consecutive regular-season matches without a loss, continuing momentum from last season.
Monday’s victory also marked the first-ever meeting between Maryland and New Haven.
Tougher Test Coming
Maryland will remain at Ludwig Field for its next match, but the difficulty level is about to increase significantly.
The Terps host No. 16 High Point on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m.
That begins an important early-season stretch for Maryland. After High Point, the Terps host Delaware on Sept. 4 before welcoming No. 5 Georgetown to College Park on Sept. 7.
Maryland has not played its cleanest soccer through two matches, but the results have been exactly what Cirovski’s club wanted.
Two matches.
Two victories.
And after Monday night’s furious second-half comeback, the Terps are heading into their first ranked matchup of the season with plenty of momentum.
Final: No. 7 Maryland 3, New Haven 2
