Junior Lone Star, Philadelphia’s National Premier Soccer League club, secured a 2-1 win on Saturday in their home opener at Bonner High School, defeating new NPSL side Electric City Shock of Scranton, 2-1, in Keystone Conference play.

The Stars started the match well in the first 15 minutes by exchanging some crisp passes, though they lack the intensity that was needed to open up the Shock’s defense and neither side had a whiff of the goal until the half hour mark when Seydou Ba missed a sitter with the goal wide open. Minutes later, Ebere Goodluck had a shot on goal that was easily saved by Steven Rerick in goal for the Shock.

Electric City Coach James Bell then made a double substitution in the 39th minute with Scott Webb and Kyle Beekman going in for Aadil Mendez and Vinny Santo, respectively.

A minute after the double substitution, the deadlock was broken in the 40th minute from an own goal when a defender from the Shock tried to head the ball back to Rerick, who was already off his lines. Seydou Ba should’ve had a simple tap in for his first goal of the season but he decided to allow the ball to just enter the net for an own goal.

Both teams came after the break with no lineup chamges,  although the Stars came back with more urgency. They had the ball in the back of the net in the 46th minute but it was called back for an earlier foul. The Shock then made their third substitution of the match in the 58th minute when they brought on Nico Amity for Christian Henry.

Two minutes after that substitution, the Shock equalized from a beauty of a free kick by Korbia Keene at the hour mark. Standing 25 yards from the right side of goal, Keene curved the ball over the Stars defenders and into the top left corner with Prince Monyan, in goal for the Stars, remaining motionless.

After conceding the equalizer, head coach Bobby Ali and assistant coach Thomas George brought on the entire cavalry by making four substitutions in a 15-minute span. First, Mohamed Camara replaced Isaac Jardiah in the 67th minute, followed by Vlandy Eric Slueue for Ayouba Fane in the 70th minute, then Dodji Freitas for James Geayea in the 78th minute, and Jerome Pour for Amadou Sheriff in the 82nd minute.

In the 85th minute, two of those substitutes combined for the Stars’ second goal. Vlandy Eric Slueue dribbled past three defenders and sent a powerful left-footed shot that Steven Rerick couldn’t hold on to and Jerome Pour had all the time in the world to score his first goal of the season.

To maintain their lead, the Stars brought on defender Mohammed Mayah and defensive midfielder Alhaji Aly in the closing stages of the match for forward Seydou Ba and Samuel Fahnboto, respectively, while the Shock brought on Eli Schingmann, but the Stars held for a 2-1 victory.

The Stars will look to secure their second consecutive win of the 2014 season when they welcome the Clarkstown SC Eagles to Bonner High School on Saturday, May 17, at 5:30 pm.

Scoring Summary
JLS: Oster (own goal) 40′
ECS: Korbia Keene 60′ (Unassisted)
JLS:Pour 85′ (Slueue)

Disciplinary Summary
ECS: John Kilduff 56′
JLS: Ayouba Fane 62′ (Yellow)

Junior Lone Star FC (3-5-2)
Prince Monyan; Samuel Fahnboto (Alhaji Aly 89′), Anthony Dunor, Aba Zoegar; Amadou Sheriff (Jerome Pour 82′), Ayouba Fane (Vlandy Eric Slueue 70′), Fatoma Turay, James Geayea (Dodji Freitas 78′), Ebere Goodluck; Seydou Ba (Mohammed Mayah 87′), Isaac Jardiah (Mohamed Camara 67′)
Unused substitutions: Jefferson Banto

Electric City Shock (4-5-1)
Steve Rerick; Alex Henry, Zack Oster, John Kilduff, Joseph Zeawlon; Aadil Mendez (Scott Webb 22′, Eli Schingmann 90′), Christian Henry (Nicole Amity 58′), Korbia Keene, Vinny Santo (Kyle Beekman 37′); Brandon Jackson, Andrew Bush
Unused substitutions:

Referee: Darth Newman
Attendance: 150