The Ocean City Nor’easters (9-2-3) closed out the 2021 USL League Two regular season Sunday night in Philadelphia with a 6-0 shutout win over the Philadelphia Lone Star FC. The Nor’easters were led by two goals, each from Simon Becher and Gilbert Waso. The Nor’easters win the season series 2-1.
In the 19th minute, Ocean City had a corner kick that was taken by Theo Quartey. Quartey’s kick set up a header by Simon Becher to the right side of the net for a 1-0 lead. It was Becher’s tenth goal of the season.
After an offsides call against Philadelphia, Ocean City got a free kick that Theo Quartey took. Quartey’s kick from 25-yards out extended the Nor’easters lead 2-0 in the 23rd minute. After the goal, both teams went back and forth on possessions before Ocean City went into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
In the 50th minute off a Caden Stafford throw-in, Simon Becher’s shot bounces off the goal post before Alex Andersson redirected the ball to the upper left corner of the net for a 3-0 lead. It was Andersson’s first goal as a Nor’easter and the first assist of the season for Simon Becher.
In the 67th minute, Ocean City added another goal when Gilbert Waso crossed the ball in the direction of Simon Becher who headed the ball to the left side of the net for a 4-0 lead. It was Becher’s second goal of the night and eleventh of the season.
The common theme in this game was assist Becher’s goal, and get a goal for yourself. And that’s what happened in the 72nd minute when Gilbert Waso stole the ball, drawing Lone Star goalkeeper Goodwill Agbaadem out of his net. Waso’s shot was at an angle and glanced to the lower right side of the net before going in for the goal. The Nor’easters lead was now 5-0.
One minute later, after a turnover by Lone Star FC’s Hassan Kone, Josh Bolma put the ball in front of Gilbert Waso before Waso’s shot went over Agbaadem’s shoulder for the goal and a 6-0 lead.
In the 80th minute, a penalty kick was awarded to Ocean City after Sergio Aguinaga was taken down inside the 18-yard box. Both Anthony Allison and Marco Bla of Philadelphia were red-carded and out of the game, leaving Lone Star FC with ten men. Simon Becher took the penalty kick, but Agbaadem stopped his shot.
Ocean City made another attempt in the 85th minute, but Montel McKenzie missed the shot wide left. No extra time was added, and the Nor’easters defeated the Philadelphia Lone Star FC 6-0. Ocean City goalkeeper Owen Elliot earned the clean sheet. The Nor’easters finish the regular season 9-2-3.
With the win, the Nor’easters extend their road unbeaten streak to seven games 5-0-2, and the club has not lost a season finale game since 2014 (4-0-2). Ocean City allowed a total of twelve goals this year and a record-seventh shutout of the season.
The Nor’easters now wait for who they will face in the first round of the USL League Two playoffs.
