Charlotte Eagles in National Final Saturday Night
Published on August 24, 2005 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charlotte Eagles News Release
The Charlotte Eagles Pro Soccer team will play in the USL-2 National Championship for the second consecutive year. On Saturday, August 27th the Eagles face the Western Mass. Pioneers at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, MA. Kickoff for the match is set at 7:30 pm and the winner takes the USL-2 Championship Trophy.
The Eagles are fired up for Saturday's match and hope to make it a day of reckoning. Western Mass. is the only team Charlotte has not beaten and have not scored on this season. The Eagles and Pioneers tied their first match back in April at Waddell Stadium 0-0, then the Eagles were defeated by the Pioneers 2-0 on June 25th at Lusitano Stadium. Charlotte looked to have the National Title in hand in 2004, but the Utah Blitzz came back from a two goal deficit to force overtime and a shootout. Utah went on to win 5-4 in the shootout tiebreaker.
Charlotte earned their way into the 2005 National final by finishing off the regular season in second place at 13-5-2, 41 pts. The Eagles then faced the Harrisburg City Islanders in a two game, most-goals series. Charlotte lost the first game on the road 1-0, but tied the series with a 2-1 regulation win on Saturday night at Waddell Stadium. The
series was decided in Charlotte's favor through two overtime periods, when the Eagles scored two more goals to take the aggregate goal series win 4-2. Ben Johnson came off the bench to add a spark to the Eagles offense and score the goal to force overtime. Andy Guastaferro scored the game winning goal in overtime and Jacob Coggins added two goals and an assist.
Saturday night will be Charlotte's fifth time in the National Championship match in the Eagles 13 year history (2 seasons in PDL, 3 seasons in USL-1, 8 seasons in USL-2). The Eagles won the National Championship in 2000.
The Western Mass. Pioneers enter the National Championship match for their second time in 8 years. The Pioneers won the Title in 1999, 2-1 over South Jersey. Finishing at the top spot in the regular season standings with 13-3-4, 43pts, the Pioneers certainly deserve their place in the match. Western Mass. defeated the Wilmington Hammerheads in the Semi Finals, on 3-2 aggregate. Wilmington claimed the first game of the series 1-0, but the Pioneers defeated the Hammerheads 3-1 for the series victory on Saturday night at Lusitano Stadium.
Saturday night's USL-2 National Final will be televised on Fox Soccer Channel. The game will be tape delayed, airing at 11:00 pm.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 24, 2005
- USL Second Division 2005 Statistical Awards announced - USL
- Charlotte Eagles in National Final Saturday Night - Charlotte Eagles
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