Saturday July 7, 2007 - Islanders at Charleston Battery [R]

[BoriQa]

On the luckiest day of 2007 (July 7, 07 a.k.a. 7-7-7) the Islanders will be looking for their first win against Charleston since June 10, 2006 when they last beat the Battery 2:1 at Juan Ramón Loubriel, the last win in a 3 game winning streak against the Battery starting in 2005.

Luck has traditionally favoured the Islanders against the Battery. On June 15, 2004, the Islanders' maiden A-League season, after an unlucky 13-game winless streak, Puerto Rico earned their first win ever in the USL (A-League back then) against the Charleston Battery with a 1:0 score. Mauricio Salles-De Alencar scored Puerto Rico's first ever winning goal, and Alexis Rivera-Curet got the assist to that historic goal. Facing 11 shots, and with 11 saves, Michael Ueltschey earned the first Puerto Rican shutout and win as the goalkeeper on that date.

Last year the Islanders had a 2-3-1 record against the Battery. Puerto Rico's only unlucky loss in 2006 against the Battery (1:0 on September 17) came in the '06 Playoffs at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón. This loss meant the Islanders exit to their first Playoffs round ever.

The Islanders also have a 2-3-1 record on the road against the Battery; and have an overall 5-5-2 record against Charleston (including playoff games). Lifetime the Islanders have outscored the Battery 13-9 in 12 games.

The Islanders are 2-3-1 and have outshot their oposition 9-6 since the arrival of new DT Colin "General" Clarke on May 26th. "General" Clarke's only loss came in the Islanders last game in Montreal on June 29, when the Impact scored the game's lonely goal in the 93' minute in stoppage time.

The Battery come into the game tonight after a loss 3:2 against Atlanta on July 4th.

[BoriQa]

7/7/2007
Battery and Islanders tie

CHARLESTON, SC—The Charleston Battery played the Puerto Rico Islanders to rain-soaked 0-0 draw Saturday night at Blackbaud Stadium. The tie puts the Battery at 5-6-5 (20 points) on the season.
The game started in the middle of a torrential downpour that lasted the first 20 minutes of the game. The waterlogged field slowed play considerably for both teams, causing the ball to skid in places and
come to a sudden floating stop in others.

After sloppy play on both sides of the ball, the game’s first chance came from Puerto Rico’s Alberto Delgado in the 14th minute after the Battery could not clear a long thrown in. Delgado’s shot from outside
the penalty area sailed harmlessly over the bar.

The Battery’s Aaron King responded two minutes later, getting on the end of a long Lee Sandwina throw in deep in the Islander’s half. King’s glancing header fell just wide.

After the rain stopped and the puddles on the field began to drain, Puerto Rico began to control the run of play, controlling the midfield and maintaining possession for long stretches of the time, pressing
Battery goalkeeper Dusty Hudock into action. Hudock saved spectacularly several times to keep the score level in the first half.

Hudock came up big for the first time in the 24th minute, diving to his left off a Peter Villagas drive from 45 yards out. The shot would normally have given Hudock any problems, but the wet pitch and ball gave considerable difficulties as he stumbled to make the one-handed diving save.

In the 26th minute Hudock was saved by the crossbar after being beaten by a curling left-footed blast, again from distance by Delgado.

By ten minutes into the second half both teams swapped shots on goal: Hudock saving easily on an Edwin Miranda shot from outside the penalty area, and the Battery’s Lazo Alavanja missing high from twenty yards out.

At the hour mark, the Islanders seized control of the game, keeping the Battery pinned into its own defensive half for stretches of time. Again in was Hudock who came up big, saving in the 63rd minute, first with his foot before finally snagging the put-back from his rebound.

With 10 minutes remaining the Battery began pushing forward with numbers, gaining control of the game in the process. Second half substitute Jeremy Gold tested Islanders goalkeeper Joshua Saunders in the 84th minute with a drive from 25 yards out. Saunders knocked down the right-footed blast and smothered the rebound, negating the Battery’s last chance of the night.

The final five minutes of the match became frantic, as both teams pushed for a goal. However, under the pressure, neither team could mount a threatening attack before the whistle was blown for full time.

====

Reference:
http://www.charlestonbattery.com/new...&id=320&page=1

[BoriQa]

Game Summary:
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Islanders 0:0 Battery
Blackbaud Stadium, Charleston

Goals:
None

Cautions:
1. CHA: Aaron King 27'
2. PRI: Noah Delgado 34'
3. PRI: Jared Montz 76'

Ejections:
None

Half time statistics:
PRI: Goals 0, Shots 6, Saves 0, Corners 5, Offsides 4, Fouls 6
CHA: Goals 0, Shots 1, Saves 3, Corners 0, Offsides 1, Fouls 7

Final statistics:
PRI: Goals 0, Shots 17, Saves 1, Corners 10, Offsides 5, Fouls 14
CHA: Goals 0, Shots 5, Saves 6, Corners 1, Offsides 2, Fouls 15

Goalkeeper Statistics: [Shots Faced, Saves, Goals Allowed, Games Played]
PRI: Saunders, Josh – 5 SF [153], 1 Sav [51], 0 GA [16], GP [14]
CHA: Hudock, Dustin – 17 SF [166], 6 Sav [57], 0 GA [19], GP [15]

Islanders Line-up: [0 Goals, 0 Assists, 17 Shots, 14 Fouls]
1 - Saunders, Josh [GK]
5 - Delgado, Noah [M]
7 - Miranda, Edwin [M] – S [5]
17 - Montz, Jared [M] – 2 S [4]
10 - Villegas, Petter [M] – 5 S [20], F [12]
12 - Krause, John [D] – S [1], F [3]
2 - Lyssand, Lars [D] – S [4], 4 F [7]
14 - Needham, Jay [D] – F [12]
4 - Velez, Marco [D] – F [23]
< 9 - Delgado, Alberto [F] – 3 S [8], 5 F [11]
> 18 - Tarley, Duncan [Melvin] [F] 64'
< 24 - Noel, Fabrice [F] – 4 S [5], F [2]
> 26 - Zapata, Alberto [F] 77'

PRI: Did not play
3 - Gonzalez, Alejandro [Jano] [M]
20 - Herrera, Victor Manuel [M]
25 - Piette, Jeremie [D]
15 - Segovia, Mauricio [D]
22 - Behonick, Michael [GK]

Battery Line-up: [0 Goal, 0 Assists, 5 Shots, 15 Fouls]
1 - Hudock, Dustin [GK]
8 - Alavanja, Lazo [M] – S [23]
28 - Chin, Gordon [M] – S [25], F [17]
20 - Catalano, Anthony [D]
12 - Corcoran, Christopher [D] – F [12]
4 - Karalexis, Timothy [D] – 2 F [17]
16 - Armstrong, Stephen [F] – F [25]
< 17 - Romero-Coreas, Jose [M] – F [3]
> 24 - Hughes, Jordan [F] 66' – S [5]
< 25 - Sandwina, Lee [D]
< 23 - Vercollone, Luke [F] – 2 F [18]
> 21 - Bennett, Ian [M] 78' – S [10], 2 F [8]
> 13 - Rolko, Louie [Lou] [M] 78'
< 14 - King, Aaron [M] – S [18], 5 F [15]
> 22 - Gold, Jeremy [F] 83'

CHA: Did not play
6 - Gores, Christopher [D]
30 - Wiggins, Keith [GK]

Referees:
Mark Kadlecic, Bob Wern, Jeff Muschik, Jose Balzas

Attendance: 3,588

Official Match Information:
http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2007/385680.html