Emanuele Sordi enjoys playing in season openers for the Georgia Gwinnett College men's soccer team and facing Bryan College (Tennessee) in a match.

For the second straight season, the senior forward scored two goals in the Grizzlies' season opening match. On Saturday night, both goals came as the No. 8-ranked team picked up a 2-1 victory against the Lions in Saturday night's season opener at the Grizzly Soccer Complex.

GGC (1-0-0) improved to 10-0-2 all-time in season openers and is 8-0-4 in home openers.

Sordi drilled a shot from the top of the 18-yard box in the 57th minute for the game-winning goal. After winning a battle for the ball in the midfield, sophomore Sam Povolotsky provided a crisp pass to Sordi. The Grizzly forward took one touch and then blasted a shot that beat an outstretched Bryan College goalkeeper Jack Smith to find the back of the opposing net.

Earlier, Sordi scored the first goal of GGC's season in the 10th minute when he headed in a crossing pass from senior Odin Solheim from the middle of the six-yard box in front of the Bryan goal.

Sordi has also netted the game-winning goal against the Tennessee opponent in each of the last two seasons. He scored twice in the first half in the 2022 season-opening road triumph against Reinhardt University (Georgia).

Sordi has scored nine career goals, with three of them being game-winning tallies.

Bryan (0-1-0) squared the match in the 22nd minute on a goal from Owen Morales.

GGC (1-0-0) outshot the Lions by a 15-7 margin, including a 10-3 edge during the second half. Freshman Joshua Orue matched Sordi with four shot attempts while senior Diego Milessi and freshman Djordje Djurasinovic each added two shots in the victory.


  "It's good to open the season with a win. No team at this time of the year is where they need to be and we created some good chances, but also have to improve in some areas. We grinded out a win. Bryan always gives us a tough match," said Head Coach Steve DeCou.
  Seniors Emanuele Sordi and Odin Solheim combined to score a goal against Bryan for the second straight season. Solheim provided a crossing pass in the six-yard box in front of the Lions' goal which Sordi headed into the back of the net for the GGC's first goal of the season. That came in the 10th minute of the match. Sordi later added the game-winning tally in the 57th minute.
  10' – Emanuele Sordi, GGC (Odin Solheim)
22' – Owen Morales, BC (unassisted)
57' – Emanuele Sordi, GGC (Sam Povolotsky)

• The Grizzlies outshot Bryan by a 15-7 margin, with five shots being on goal
• GGC attempted 10 corner kicks during the 90 minutes of action
• Senior Emanuele Sordi and freshman Joshua Orue had four shot attempts in Saturday's victory
• Eighteen different players saw playing time for the Grizzlies in the season opener

• GGC and Bryan opened the season on Saturday
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 8 in the NAIA Top 25 preseason poll
• GGC now leads the series with a 3-2-2 record
• Georgia Gwinnett College improves to 10-0-2 all-time in season openers
• The team is now 8-0-4 all-time in home openers

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to face Louisiana Christian University on Thursday, August 24, at Dalton, Georgia, starting at 6:15 p.m.