John Murphy’s first goal with his new club in extra time of the first half eventually proved to be the game winner as defending USL League one champion One Knoxville SC hung on for a 3-2 season opening win against Westchester Soccer Club Saturday night in Mt. Vernon, spoiling the tightly contested debut of new WSC head coach George Gjokaj.
One Knoxville jumped out to a 1-0 first half lead, with Denis Krioutchenkov beating first year netminder Matias Molina 12 minutes into the match, but WSC got on the board when returning midfielder Conor McGlynn scored on a penalty at the 19 minute mark. Krioutchenkov’s second goal of the match at the 22 minute mark gave Knoxville the lead for good, with Murphy’s first of the season extending the lead just before the horn.
It stayed 3-1 on the drizzly, damp and foggy night before WSC got within 3-2 when Kyle Evans scored in late stoppage time with his first career goal, but Knoxville hung on for the win before 1,776 fans at the Stadium at Memorial Field despite being outshot by WSC 13-10. It was the first win for One Knoxville agains WSC after a pair of 1-1 draws last season.
The one goal loss continued a pattern for WSC from their inaugural season, when they went 2-14-7 when they entered the second 45 either tied or behind and were 2-11 in one goal w/l decisions.
WSC is back in action in Mt. Vernon next Saturday March 14 when they host Charlotte Independence in the second of three straight matches (2 USL League One, 1 US Open Cup) at The Stadium at Memorial Field.
