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United Soccer League Championship

Arizona Takes Inaugural Victory

April 21, 2014 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


PEORIA, Ariz. - Arizona United SC claimed its first victory in club history as a late goal by Jonathan Top earned a 2-1 win against Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday night at the Peoria Sports Complex. Brandon Swartzendruber also scored for United, which rallied to take victory against a 10-man Republic FC.

After a quiet opening to the game, Sacramento took the lead in the 27th minute through Rodrigo Lopez. The midfielder combined well with Republic FC forward Thomas Stewart, who teed up Lopez 20 yards from goal at the top of the penalty area for a crisp strike into the right corner.

Arizona hit back less than 10 minutes later when a good pass down the right side released captain Matt Kassel, who hit a curling cross through the penalty area. The delivery found Swartzendruber at the far post, and the former Dayton Dutch Lion controlled and fired home for United's first goal in club history.

United had the opportunity to take the lead just before the halftime break as a foul in the penalty area resulted in a penalty kick. Republic FC was also reduced to 10 men as Mickey Daly was shown a second yellow card for the foul in the penalty area, but Kassel had his shot saved by Sacramento goalkeeper Dominik Jakubek to keep the game level at the break.

Both teams had chances to take the lead in the second half, as Arizona goalkeeper Evan Newton made a good save with 12 minutes to go to deny Republic FC the lead, but United grabbed the late winner as a cross from the right was headed down by Kadeem Dacres, and Top, on loan from FC Dallas, finished clinically to send the more than 3,000 fans on hand into celebration.

TUESDAY

FC DALLAS RESERVES 1, OKLAHOMA CITY 0: Andrew Jacobson had the only goal as FC Dallas Reserves claimed victory against OKC Energy FC at Toyota Stadium. The game featured a pair of saved penalties - one for each side - as the Energy concluded their season-opening four-game road trip.

After chances for both sides in the opening half-hour, Dallas had the first chance to take the lead from the spot when Cobi Span was brought down in the right side of the penalty area. OKC goalkeeper Jon Kempin - on loan from Sporting Kansas City and last week called up to the U.S. U21 squad - made an outstanding save to deny Span's shot to the left corner of the net.

Span played a role in Dallas' goal, however, as eight minutes into the second half he found space on the left side and sent a cross toward the penalty spot that was met by Jacobson and finished into the top-right corner of the net.

The Energy pushed forward in search of an equalizer and in the final minute appeared to have their chance to grab a point when a foul was called in the penalty area. Michael Thomas stepped up for the Energy, but his effort was saved by Raul Fernandez to preserve the win for Dallas.

FRIDAY

CHARLESTON 1, NEW YORK RED BULLS RESERVES 1: Dane Kelly scored his first goal of the season as Charleston came back to earn a point against the New York Red Bulls in a torrential downpour at Blackbaud Stadium.

The conditions caused trouble for both teams and created a big opportunity for Kelly to give the Battery the lead as a pass back to Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara stopped in the sodden turf, but the Jamaican was unable to beat Meara with his finish as he broke in one-on-one.

The Red Bulls took the lead 20 minutes into the second half as the Battery were called for a foul just inside the penalty area. Michael Bustamante gave New York the lead from the spot, but the lead was short-lived as the Battery hit back with 17 minutes to go as Heviel Cordoves broke onto a pass down the left and his low cross through the penalty area was met by Kelly for the finish.

An altercation at midfield with 10 minutes to go then saw New York reduced to 10 men as Meara was sent off after joining the fray. Without a backup goalkeeper, New York was forced to turn to midfielder Ian Christianson, who performed admirably as the Battery pushed forward for a winner. The Red Bulls were able to hold on as the Battery claimed their third draw in four games.

SATURDAY

LA GALAXY II 3, ORANGE COUNTY 1: The LA Galaxy II regained first place in the USL PRO standings as goals by Charlie Rugg, Chandler Hoffman and Laurent Courtois allowed them to rally from a halftime deficit against the Orange County Blues FC at the StubHub Center Track Stadium.

The Blues took the lead in the eighth minute as Allan Russell was played in down the right side and his cross found Jiovanni Santana 12 yards out. Making his debut, Santana scored his first professional goal with a good finish into the left corner.

The Galaxy II got onto the front foot early in the second half and got back on level terms as Rugg found the back of the net in the 49th minute. Soon after, Jack McBean came on as a substitute and set up Hoffman's third goal of the season as he knocked down an angled ball into the penalty area for the onrushing Hoffman to finish.

Courtois added an insurance goal in stoppage time, again off a pass from McBean, as he flicked his finish past advancing Blues goalkeeper Patrick McLain.

DAYTON 1, HARRISBURG 0: Aaron Schoenfeld scored the only goal as the Dayton Dutch Lions took their second road win of the season to spoil the Harrisburg City Islanders' home opener at Skyline Sports Complex.

Both teams threatened in an open first half. Harrisburg's Jimmy McLaughlin curled a shot just wide from just outside the left side of the penalty area, and Dayton's Joel DeLass pulled his shot wide as he ran onto a knockdown from Schoenfeld 12 yards out.

Schoenfeld opened the scoring four minutes before the break as the Dutch Lions were able to counter-attack off a City Islanders' corner, with the Columbus Crew loanee brought down in the penalty area by Harrisburg goalkeeper Nick Noble. Schoenfeld finished coolly from the spot to put his side ahead.

Harrisburg came close to tying the game in the second half as Matt Williams was forced into five saves to record the shutout. The City Islanders' final chance came from a free kick in stoppage time, but Clesio Bauque's effort curled just over the crossbar.

RICHMOND 2, PITTSBURGH 2: The Richmond Kickers rallied from a two-goal deficit as they earned a draw with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at City Stadium.

Pittsburgh grabbed the early lead from a corner kick as Matt Dallman's delivery was flicked goal-ward by Joseph Ngwenya. Ryan Taylor was able to parry the effort, but former Kicker Brian Ownby was on hand to put away the rebound.

The Riverhounds added to the lead just past the hour-mark as Ownby was brought down in the penalty area and Jhonny Arteaga stepped up to put away the penalty kick to make it 2-0. The Kickers hit back four minutes later, however, as D.C. United loanee Kyle Porter found space 22 yards from goal and drove a fine strike into the top-right corner of the net.

The Kickers claimed a share of the points in the 77th minute as a low cross found Matt Delicate eight yards from goal and his low effort nutmegged Pittsburgh goalkeeper Michael Lisch for the equalizer.

STANDINGS

Through Sunday, April 20

Team GP W L T GF GA GD Points

LA Galaxy II 5 3 1 1 11 8 +3 10

Orlando City 4 2 0 2 6 3 +3 8

Dayton Dutch Lions 4 2 1 1 3 4 -1 7

Sacramento Republic FC 5 2 2 1 9 6 +3 7

OKC Energy FC 4 2 0 2 8 5 +3 6

Richmond Kickers 4 1 1 2 8 7 +1 5

Wilmington Hammerheads 2 1 0 1 4 3 +1 4

Arizona United SC 2 1 1 0 2 5 -3 3

Charlotte Eagles 2 1 1 0 2 5 -3 3

Orange County Blues FC 4 1 3 0 4 9 -5 3

Charleston Battery 4 0 1 3 3 4 -1 3

Pittsburgh Riverhounds 4 0 2 2 7 10 -3 2

Harrisburg City Islanders 2 0 1 1 0 1 -1 1

Rochester Rhinos 2 0 1 1 2 4 -2 1

RESULTS

Tuesday, April 15

FC Dallas Reserves 1, Oklahoma City 0

Friday, April 18

Charleston 1, New York Reserves 1

Saturday, April 19

Richmond 2, Pittsburgh 2

Dayton 1, Harrisburg 0

Arizona 2, Sacramento 1

LA Galaxy II 3, Orange County 1

SCHEDULE

Monday, April 21

Chicago Fire Reserves vs. Rochester, 12 p.m. ET

Tuesday, April 22

FC Dallas Reserves vs. Orlando, 8 p.m. ET

Thursday, April 24

Orange County vs. Harrisburg, 10:30 p.m. ET

Friday, April 25

Charlotte vs. Chicago Fire Reserves, 7 p.m. ET

Arizona vs. LA Galaxy II, 10 p.m. ET

Saturday, April 26

Pittsburgh vs. Charleston, 6 p.m. ET

Dayton vs. Richmond, 7 p.m. ET

Wilmington vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. ET

Oklahoma City vs. Orlando, 8 p.m. ET

Sacramento vs. Harrisburg, 10:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, April 27

Rochester vs. Charleston, 4:05 p.m. ET

Orange County vs. LA Galaxy II, 7 p.m. ET

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