After two wins in two days last weekend, the Carolina RailHawks return to action this weekend hoping for similar results in a pair of league games.The RailHawks go back to Charleston (8-3-8, 32 points) for the second time in two weeks to face the Battery on Friday at 7:30 p.m., then return home to face Miami (6-7-3, 21 points) on Sunday at 2 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park.
The RailHawks (9-4-3, 30 points) have rediscovered their early season form and enter the weekend riding a five-match winning streak, which includes two USL-1 matches and three friendlies. Since June 30, when the RailHawks beat the Panama National Team 1-0, the RailHawks have outscored their opponents 9-2 and posted three shutouts.
That winning streak also featured the RailHawks' 1-0 win over Charleston at Blackbaud Stadium on July 11, a result that made the RailHawks the first USL-1 team to beat the Battery on their home field this season. Carolina coach Martin Rennie expects a similarly hard-fought match this weekend as the one two weeks ago, which featured 22 shots, 21 fouls and two players sent off (one from each team).
"That'll be a really hard game, obviously," Rennie said. "We're the only team to have beaten them there, and they haven't won a game for a few weeks. It's going to be a lot of the same things, having to break them down, having to take our chances and having to be really solid when we don't have the ball."
The RailHawks will have little time to rest and recover before they're back at it again. A day and half after their visit to Charleston, they'll be back on the field at WakeMed Soccer Park to face Miami, which just finished a four-match homestand 1-1-2 and is hitting the road for the first time in four weeks. And like the RailHawks, Miami will come to Cary after a match Friday (the Blues are at Minnesota).
"Miami have been doing pretty well this season," Rennie said. "I think they've played a lot of their home games already, they haven't played too many away. We're going to do all we can to recover and go for it again. It's a home game, so we want to keep doing well at home."
SCOUTING CHARLESTON
The Battery opened the season with a 12-match unbeaten streak (6-0-6) before suffering two losses in three days in Puerto Rico June 18-20. Since their trip to Bayomon, the Battery have struggled a bit. They are 3-4-2 since July 18, and 0-2-2 over their last four, including a 4-0 loss in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals to Houston. Over their last four games, they have been outscored 6-1.
Despite their recent form, the Battery still feature one of the best defenses in the league.
Charleston's been at or near the top of the table all season largely because of its defense. The Battery's 11 shutouts lead the league and their plus-eight goal differential is second best. They allow only 8.05 shots per game (best in the league) and only two teams have taken more than 10 shots against them all season (Puerto Rico, Rochester).
Goalkeeper Dusty Hudock has conceded only four goals - second fewest in the league - in 16 starts. His eight wins are second most in the league, and he leads the league in shutouts (11) and goals against average (0.251).
Forward Randi Patterson has scored seven goals this season (four USL-1, three USOC). Midfielder Tyler Hemming has a goal and three assists. Forward Dan Antoniuk has two goals and an assist, as do forward Darren Spicer and defender Frankie Sanfilippo.
SCOUTING MIAMI
Miami enters the weekend tied with Montreal (21 points) for sixth place in the USL-1. Of their 16 games this season, the Blues have played only six on the road, where they are 2-3-1.
Just as Carolina played twice last weekend, so did Miami. They met league leaders Portland twice in three days in Miami and earned a 1-1 draw in the first game and fell 3-0 in the second.
The Blues come in with a goal differential of minus four on the season, and they've been shut out seven times. Their 8.56 shots per game are second fewest in the league. But don't sleep on their attack. Miami features a dangerous strikeforce in forward Diego Serna (three goals, two assists) and midfielder Leonardo Nunes (four goals, one assist). Also, watch out for Paulo Araujo Jr., who has one goal to go along with three assists.
SERIES HISTORY
Carolina vs Charleston
The RailHawks are 7-1-0 all-time against Charleston and have outscored the Battery 14-4. Carolina is also 3-0-0 against the Battery at Blackbaud Stadium. Friday's match will be the last between Carolina and Charleston of the 2009 season. Each team has defeated the other on its home field. Charleston beat Carolina 2-1 on May 9 at WakeMed Soccer Park, and the RailHawks earned a 1-0 win on July 11 at Blackbaud Stadium.
Carolina vs Miami
Sunday's match at WakeMed Soccer Park will be the seventh meeting between Carolina and Miami. The series record is even at 3-3-0, and the Blues have outscored the RailHawks 10-8 in those six matches. Sunday's visit from Miami will mark the Blues' third trip to WakeMed Soccer Park. Miami won its first match in Cary 4-1 in 2007, while Carolina won the 2008 meeting 3-2. Carolina won this season's first meeting on May 16 in Miami 2-0, thanks to a pair of goals by Luke Kreamalmeyer. The teams will close out their season series on Aug. 26 at WakeMed Soccer Park.
LAST TIME OUT
Last weekend, the RailHawks ran their winning streak to five matches after a pair of victories in the space of just more than 24 hours. On Friday, they handed the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps a 2-1 defeat thanks to goals by Gregory Richardson and Sallieu Bundu. On Saturday, Carolina stepped out of USL-1 play and defeated Estudiantes Tecos, from the Mexican Primera Division, 2-1. Gavin Glinton and Josh Gardner provided the goals in that one.
BUDNYY HELPS HAMMERHEADS TO TOP
Carolina forward Andriy Budnyy went on loan to the Wilmington Hammerheads on Wednesday, and he made the most of the opportunity. Five minutes after stepping on the pitch at Legion Field, Budnyy scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the Hammerheads 3-2 victory over Richmond. The result allowed the Hammerheads to pull into a three-way tie atop the USL-2 table with Richmond and Harrisburg.
PLAYER NOTES
*Midfielder Gregory Richardson scored a goal in his debut with the RailHawks against Vancouver, and he was named to the USL-1 Team of the Week for his efforts in the win. *Midfielder John Cunliffe registered his second assist of the season against Vancouver. He set up Richardson's goal in the 44th minute. *Midfielder Josh Gardner had a goal and an assist in Saturday's 2-1 win over Tecos, joining Hamed Diallo has the only RailHawk this season to have a goal and an assist in the same game. *With six saves Saturday against Tecos, goalkeeper Eric Reed tied his season high for saves in a game. *Midfielder Nate Norman played his first game in nearly two years Saturday, entering the match against Tecos in the 90th minute. He has been battling hamstring and quadriceps injuries since the middle of 2007.
STAT LEADERS*
Goals: Sallieu Bundu, Gavin Glinton, Brian Plotkin, Daniel Paladini (4) Assists: Josh Gardner, Daniel Paladini (4)
Minutes: Mark Schulte (1,830)
Shots: Daniel Paladini (28)
Fouls: Amir Lowery (32)
*includes USL-1 matches, U.S. Open Cup matches and five friendlies in 2009
CAROLINA VS USL-1*
The following are the RailHawks' team statistics for the year and in parentheses is where they rank in each category compared to the rest of the USL First Division.
Shots: 177 (5th)
Shots allowed: 161 (8th)
Goals: 17 (T-4th)
Goals allowed: 11 (9th)
Saves: 63 (T-6th)
Shutouts: 9 (2nd)
Times shut out: 4 (T-9th)
*based only on USL-1 matches
2008 VS 2009 SEASON COMPARISON
Through 16 games in 2008: 4-4-8, 20 points, 16 GF, 21 GA, 4 SO
Through 16 games in 2009: 9-4-3, 30 points, 17 GF, 11 GA, 9 SO
USL-1 STANDINGS
Portland, 9-1-7, 34 points
Puerto Rico, 9-4-7, 34 points
Charleston, 8-3-8, 32 points
Carolina, 9-4-3, 30 points
Rochester, 7-5-5, 26 points
Montreal, 6-8-3, 21 points
Miami, 6-7-3, 21 points
Vancouver, 5-7-3, 18 points
Austin, 3-9-6, 15 points
Minnesota, 3-8-5, 14 points
Cleveland, 2-10-6, 12 points
USL-1 SCHEDULE
Wednesday, July 23
Cleveland 1, Montreal 4
Thursday, July 24
Puerto Rico at Portland, 10 p.m.
Friday, July 25
Carolina at Charleston, 7:30 p.m.
Miami at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 25
Cleveland at Rochester, 7:35 p.m.
Montreal at Austin, 8:30 p.m.
Puerto Rico at Vancouver, 10 p.m.
Sunday, July 26
Miami at Carolina, 2 p.m.
NEXT UP
After Sunday's match with Miami, the RailHawks will remain in Cary for the week and welcome the Austin Aztex to WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. It will be the third and final meeting between the two this season. Carolina went 1-0-1 in the first two matches of the series, both of which were played at Austin's Nelson Field.
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