In the biggest boys soccer game in the Garden State on Thursday, Cranford boys soccer hosted No. 18 Elizabeth in hopes of snapping their 17-game losing streak against the Minutemen. What followed was an instant classic! Check out the action below.

Cranford 3 Elizabeth 2 (OT)

Cranford boys soccer (6-1-1) has finally snapped their 17-game losing streak against UCC foes Elizabeth (8-2), and in the most dramatic of fashions. After being down 2-1 in the final seconds of regulation, the Cougars rallied for a 3-2 overtime victory over the Minutemen.

Elizabeth got on the board first in the 30th minute off a goal from junior Andres Diego. Then, in the 43rd, Cranford senior Manan Shah equalized off an incredible bicycle kick for his 11th of the season. It stayed knotted at 1 until the 63rd minute when the Minutemen’s Juan Zhicay scored to give them the lead. With time winding down past 10 seconds left in regulation, the Cougars’ George Gish threw a ball in that hit Shah for a header and another highlight reel goal to tie it up and put the game into overtime. Midway through the first OT, Gish assisted with his foot, this time setting up Aiden Cogdill for a high-arcing header that handed the Cougars the comeback victory.

JSZ’s Ryan Sudol has the highlights and reaction from an instant classic in Cranford:

Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Cranford is made possible by JAG Physical Therapy.

Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Elizabeth and Union is made possible by Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth