City Islanders Fall 2-1 in "Clash of the Capitals II"
Published on May 9, 2006 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Penn FC News Release
(Mechanicsburg, Pa., May 9, 2006)- A franchise record crowd of 5,133 was on hand Tuesday night to see the Harrisburg City Islanders drop a tight 2-1 decision to D.C. United in "Clash of the Capitals II" at Cumberland Valley High School. Lucio Filomeno and Rod Dyachenko scored United's goals, and Teofore Bennett bagged Harrisburg's strike.
The record throng was buzzing even before kickoff, thanks to the inclusion of phenom Freddy Adu in United's starting lineup and a special pregame ceremony honoring the three former Cumberland Valley stars in uniform - United's Josh Gros and Harrisburg's Derek Potteiger and Justin Sadler. All three played.
United then quickly went to work. In the eighth minute, Dyachenko slipped a ball from the left wing to Filomeno at the top of the penalty area, and the Argentine striker caught City Islanders keeper Dave Kern off guard by rolling home a far post shot.
D.C. proceeded to keep Harrisburg at bay with a deliberate, possession-oriented flow, clogging up the middle of the field. But in the 23rd minute, Mo Oduor broke out of the midfield down the right wing and chipped a ball to Bennett at the edge of the box. The ever-dangerous Jamaican international cracked a tight angle shot over winning keeper Ryan McIntosh (five saves) for a tie score.
A left-wing free kick from Potteiger was slightly off target in the 34th minute, and the clubs were tied at the half.
In the 62nd minute, Dyachenko accounted for the game's final goal, as the midfielder found a loose ball in the goalmouth following a corner kick and pounded it past keeper Sam Bishop, who replaced Kern at the half, for a 2-1 lead. Not long after, Jamel Mitchell found the ball at his feet at the top of the box with some room, turned, and put it high. United then seemed resolved to play solid defense and look for counterattacking opportunities.
Still, Harrisburg had other chances to tie, especially after sending everyone on the attack over the final quarter of an hour. In the 76th minute, defender Jeff Pearce put Bennett through on goal, but his near-post stab was turned aside by McIntosh. And a great opportunity for Sadler went by the wayside in the 86th minute - the midfielder snuck in at the far post and got a clean header on a Chris Morman cross, but the attempt roared wide.
Notes:
Adu, who did not take the field in last year's "Clash," played the first 59 minutes, Gros the final 31...Potteiger went the distance for Harrisburg, while Sadler played the final 14 minutes...The City Islanders resume regular season play this Sunday, May 14, in Richmond against the Kickers. Game time is 4:00 p.m...Pearce made his City Islanders debut as a central defender...Harrisburg's previous single-game attendance record was 4,000, set when D.C. visited for the first "Clash of the Capitals" last August 16.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 9, 2006
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