An improbable goal in the final seconds of the first half turned out to be the difference maker for Aberdeen Central Friday evening.

Derek Arunasalam put a free kick into the back of the net from 32 yards out with 3.8 seconds left in the half to spark a 2-1 Golden Eagles boys’ soccer win over Pierre in Eastern South Dakota Conference action at Brownell Activities Complex.

“Really good players just make really good plays sometimes and honestly, that’s what it was,” said Central caoch Lance Mohr. “It’s so hard to keep it on frame from that distance and he does it, and it just turned out to be the deciding factor.”

The senior said he practices that shot and has a plan going into it.

“We work it on the training ground,” Arunasalam said. “I’m supposed to get the ball in a dangerous spot and that’s just what I try to do every time. I try to go for that back post if its open and I hit my spot.”

The goal completely changed the complexion of the contest.

“It’s definitely different going from 1-nil to 2-nil going into the locker room,” Arunasalam said. “It definitely gave us a big boost of confidence and I think it helped us in the beginning of the second half.”

Central’s first goal of the game was also uncommon. Linus Johnson raced down the sideline and fired a perfect centering pass that somehow found Tyler Bain on the other side of the crease and he promptly deposited the ball into the net.

“Linus dribbled down the lane and he played it right into the sticks,” Bain said. “That’s the way we practice and then it made it all the way through to me, and I just tapped it home.”

Bain was unmarked as he stood on the far side of the net.

“That is probably the easiest goal I’ve scored,” Bain said.

Johnson’s effort to outrace a defender and then fire a pin-point pass right before he hit the end line did not surprise Mohr.

“He’s just such a dangerous player and he’s so fun to watch when he gets on the ball,” Mohr said. “That’s just a sample of it right there.”

The Golden Eagles needed both of those goals as Pierre made things interesting down the stretch with a goal in the 55th minute to cut the deficit in half.

“We had a great response after we got scored on,” Mohr said. “I told them at halftime you either score and finish the game and go up 3-0, or you give up one and now we’re in a dogfight, and we ended up in a dogfight, and honestly if you survive a dogfight, it’s not the worst thing in the world for your team going forward.”

In the end, the Golden Eagles stayed aggressive and made sure the Governors were not able to find the equalizer in the closing minutes.

“We let them in with about 20 minutes left,” Bain said, “but we ended up holding them to one goal and then we finished the game like we know how to do.”

While the contest was just the first of many on the season, it helps Central get started on the right foot for one of its goals this season.

“It’s an ESD game and our goal is back-to-back ESD champions now,” Arunasalam said. “That’s what we really want to do right now.”

The Golden Eagles have a non-conference game Tuesday at Sioux Falls Jefferson.

Pierre 0 1 – 1

Aberdeen Central 2 0 – 2

First Half: 1, AC, Tyler Bain (Linus Johnson), 32nd minute; 2, AC, Derek Arunasalam (free kick), 39th minute.

Second Half: 3, P, Lucas Hight, 55th minute.

Goalies: Pierre, Carter Templeton; Aberdeen Central, Zander Kuhfeld.