Soccer

Maryland Men’s Soccer Opens 2026 Season with Dramatic 3-2 Victory Over New Haven

A late surge in the second half delivers a thrilling win and marks the Terps' best start in years

Maryland Men's Soccer opened its 2026 campaign at home, defeating New Haven 3-2 in a match that marked the Terps' first 2-0 start since 2022 and extended their unbeaten run to 17 games.

Second-Half Explosion

The game swung in Maryland's favor after a 1-0 halftime lead for New Haven. Within six minutes of the second half the Terps scored four goals, with Leon Koehl netting the decisive strike in the 58th minute, his first of the season.

Goals from Henry Bernstein, Dominic Ayella and Koehl capped the comeback, while New Haven had tied the contest in the 57th minute before the onslaught.

Maryland outshot New Haven 29-5, earned 11 corners and utilized 19 different players, including Dennis Kalanzi, Rocket Ritarita, Rodrigo Neri, Franklin Affanyi, Kenny Quist-Therson and Sasho Cirovski, who all featured in the contest.

A Promising Start

The victory not only reinforced the team's early momentum but also set a positive tone for the season, as the Terps look to build on this performance in upcoming fixtures.

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