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Unlucky Blues Drop 1-0 Decision in Rochester

July 28, 2012 - USL PRO (USL PRO) Los Angeles Blues

ROCHESTER, NY - The Blues were highly unfortunate to concede a 1-0 defeat to hosts Rochester Rhinos on Friday, as the USL PRO side turned in a strong defensive performance only to fall victim to a Matt Hall own-goal after the break. While the Rhinos solidified second place in the league standings with the victory, the Blue are now in desperate need of points if they are to stay in the hunt for a postseason berth.

The first quality chance of the match fell to Rochester in the 8th minute, as Isaac Kissi did well to flick the ball on inside the box after it had slipped off the fingers of Chris Estridge on a throw-in from the left. From Kissi's head, it made its way through to a wide open Tyler Rosenlund, who sent his mishit volley attempt from close range well over the crossbar.

The hosts' second opportunity came in the 21st minute, Suggs appearing to muscle Estridge off the ball on the edge of the penalty area, only to be called for a foul that set up an excellent free-kick opportunity for midfielder Danny Earls. The 23-year-old hit a dangerous curling effort around the three-man wall, forcing Blues goalkeeper Jos" Miranda to tip the ball over the frame.

The Rhinos had one more promising look before the break. Team points leader J.C. Banks found himself with a bit of space on the right side of the box and nearly made the most of the opportunity, as he kept the opposition backline at bay with some nice footwork and released a dangerous blast that whistled just over the crossbar.

After an uneventful start to the second half, the Blues suddenly found themselves trailing at the hour mark, star striker Tam McManus heading the ball into the box and a miscommunication between netminder Miranda and Hall seeing the defender nod past his teammate and into his own net.

A mere five minutes after falling behind, the Blues had a golden chance to get back on level terms, Burke being released for a one-on-one with goalkeeper Kristian Nicht and trying to finish inside the near post, only to see his close-range attempt miss wide right by inches. The opportunity appeared to energize the visitors, who created another dangerous look in the 71st minute. Midfielder Brian Farber's header saw forward Matt Fondy run onto the ball and hit it first-time with his right to force a nice kick save by Nicht.

The Blues were very nearly punished for the missed opportunity in the 83rd minute, as Cuban defender Erlys Garcia did well to force Kendell McFayden wide on a Harrisburg breakaway, enabling Miranda to cut down the angle and slide into the attempted finish to block the ball behind for a corner-kick.

As the visitors from Southern California threw everything forward in the closing stages, more spaces started to open up for their opponents, and McFayden had another outstanding chance to seal the deal five minutes from full time. The 23-year-old forward found himself with just one defender to beat at the edge of the box and got the ball to pop loose for an uncontested volley attempt. However, as his failed to make clean contact, his shot sailed well over the frame.

After Saturday's road clash with Harrisburg, the Blues return to Fullerton to prepare for a pair of crucial home matches against Antigua Barracuda FC on August 9 and August 11. Tickets for both contests are $10 and may be purchased by calling 714-738-8011 or by visiting www.labluesprosoccer.com. The Rhinos' next USL PRO fixture is on August 3 against visiting champions and current league leaders Orlando Coty .

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USL PRO Stories from July 28, 2012


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