Chico State striker Ferid Celosmanovic scored three goals over the weekend as the Wildcats remained atop the CCAA North Division standings with a road split at UC San Diego and Cal State East Bay. The native of Brcko, Bosnia, and West Valley Community College transfer scored twice in the Wildcats’ 3-2 loss at UC San Diego. He gave the Wildcats a 2-1 lead with his second goal of the second half in the 88th minute, but the Wildcats failed to hold on. Sunday, Celosmanovic put the game away with his 89th-minute strike in the Wildcats’ 3-1 win.
Celosmanovic has now scored 11 goals on the season, the most by a Chico State player since two-time Major League Soccer Player of the Week Chris Wondolowski notched a dozen goals during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
Celosmanovic scored the first of his two goals Friday in the 63rd minute. He grabbed a wayward clearance in front of UC San Diego’s goal and booted the ball into the top of the net to even things up at 1-1. He struck again in the 88th minute to give the Wildcats the lead, using some impressive dribbling to cut the ball back to his left foot, and then firing a shot into the top of the Tritons net, just under the crossbar.
Sunday, he got a chance in close when Tyson Crim set him up nicely and delivered his 12th goal of the season.
