City Islanders Fight Back, Tie Riverhounds
Published on May 5, 2006 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Penn FC News Release
Washington, PaA - Teofore Bennett and Jamel Mitchell scored during a second-half rally to lead the Harrisburg City Islanders (0-1-1) to a 2-2 tie with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (0-1-0) on Friday night at Falconi Field.
Facing a wound-up Riverhounds side eager to impress over 3,000 fans in their season opener, the City Islanders found themselves trailing almost immediately. Midfielder Dan Hartung got the hosts on the board in just the third minute, popping home a David Flavius feed.
Though the City Islanders settled down quickly, they were unable to find an equalizer, and when Flavius grabbed a loose ball in the midfield, blew up the middle, and beat Harrisburg keeper Dave Kern (two saves) in the 38th minute, things seemed dire.
Facing a 2-0 halftime deficit, City Islanders Head Coach Bill Becher opted to use four of the team's five possible substitutions. Shortly after the break, one of those subs - All-League midfielder David Schofield - was forced out of the game with a leg injury. The men on the pitch would have to go the distance.
Undaunted, Harrisburg's shuffled lineup quickly began to turn things around. In the 53rd minute, Harrisburg's buzzing offense was awarded a penalty kick. Bennett, the Jamaican international, promptly converted it, and the City Islanders were back in the game.
At the 76-minute mark, Mitchell came up big. The former Hershey Wildcat beat a stunned defense and helpless goalkeeper Chris Robinson (three saves) with a bending 25-yard blast, tying the score at 2-2. It remained that way until the final whistle blew.
"Considering the halftime score, we have to be satisfied with the point," said Becher. "Once again, we played very well in the second half - we were good enough that we could have scored a third goal. But we have to find a way to get better in the first half. You can't get away with slow starts in this league."
United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 5, 2006
- Riverhounds Tie City Islanders in Home Opener - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- City Islanders Fight Back, Tie Riverhounds - Penn FC
- Kings win home opener, 1-0, against Western Mass - Cincinnati Kings
- Battery welcomes Romario and Miami FC Sunday at Blackbaud - USL
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