Maltese player Andrea Borg has contributed to Seton Hall Pirates’ prestigious triumph as they defeated tournament holders Georgetown 2-1 to claim the coveted Big East Conference title, in a game broadcasted on the US television on Saturday.
This is Seton’s first championship triumph since 1991 as Borg played 42 minutes throughout the whole game when deployed in the attack.
Seton Hall have won this conference title four times prior to Saturday’s win – in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1991.
In the process, Seton Hall have also booked a ticket at the upcoming NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament, which is a post-season competition that determines the best team among all conferences across the United States.
When the NCAA tournament kickstarts – on April 29 – it will be Seton Hall’s maiden appearance in 16 years.
Seton Hall forged ahead early in the game before Georgetown levelled terms before half-time. At the restart, Borg’s Seton Hall managed to restore their lead.
Seton Hall’s goalkeeper denied Georgetown from the spot as they held on to their narrow lead until the final whistle.
The Big East Conference is one of the many conferences across the US that organise football tournament which determine the conference’s best team while serving as a qualification route to the high-profile NCAA tournament.
Borg, 21, is on his second year at Seton Hall and after last year they failed to reach the final four, this time around they made amends to win the tournament against all odds.
In fact, Seton Hall were not projected to reach this stage of the competition prior to start of the campaign. Nonetheless, Borg’s side sprung a set of surprises en route to their first final since 2004.
During the last season, Borg was named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team after his 16 appearances with two goals in the process.
Formerly of Peterborough United, with whom he made four appearances between League One and FA Cup, Borg has also represented Malta at youth level.
The 21-year old attacking midfielder has five appearances for the U-19’s side and two caps at U-21’s level, with his last appearance dating back to 2018 in a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Albania.
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