USL Penn FC

City Islanders Rally from 3-0 Hole, Win on Penalty Kicks

May 29, 2012 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Penn FC News Release


Harrisburg, PA- An overtime thriller at Skyline Sports Complex would come down to penalty kicks as the City Islanders erased a three-goal deficit in the second-half of extra time. Nick Noble made a diving save to his left on Benny Feilhaber's - and the Revolution's - final attempt in the fifth round of penalty kicks sending the home team into the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in dramatic fashion.

After the Revolution scored three times in the first 15-minute half of overtime, the City Islanders looked deflated as the stands emptied around them. Of the 441 in attendance who stayed, they witnessed the home team strike thrice in the second 15-minute half, the final equalizer coming off the foot of J.T. Noone in the 120th minute of action.

Kelyn Rowe started the scoring in the 95th after regulation ended with the teams deadlocked at zero. Second-half substitution Lee Nguyen wove through the Islander defense and laid it off for a following Rowe. Nguyen sparked the Revolution's attack in the opening minutes of extra time, earning a penalty kick in the 100th minute. After Feilhaber scored three minutes later off a Blake Brettschneider assist, all hope seemed lost for the home team, who went into the second half of overtime down 3-0.

Following the whistle, head coach Bill Becher gathered his troops at midfield and implored his side to not give in.

It worked.

A quick score by Brian Ombiji - assisted by Tom Mellor - in the 111th nixed the shutout. But the Islanders weren't satisfied with a moral victory. They struck again in the 117th as play became frantic - this time off a solo effort by Sainey Touray, whose match-long work rate made up for the loss of star striker Yann Ekra, who was out for the game with a right leg injury. Noone's finish in the 120th minute of play came from a frenetic sequence in front of New England goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth's net. Several shots pinballed around the box until one took a fortuitous bounce toward Noone. The midfielder's aim was true as he struck the ball off a bounce, planting it firmly in the lower-right corner of the net and sending the teams into penalty kicks to decide the match.

In penalty kicks, the Islanders had to come back again as Shuttleworth stopped the first attempt by Noone and Nguyen pocketed his second penalty kick of the night to put the visitors up 1-0.

Every Islander who stepped to the line after Noone, however, would score. The same was true for the Revolution until Feilhaber readied for his attempt and Noble stared him down, waving his hands.

The Revolution had played the majority of the match down a man after losing striker Diego Fagundez in the 36th, and had felt constant pressure applied by a hot City Islanders team, who had entered the match undefeated in their last five contests. Play was sloppy at times as players slipped on the wet surface - a storm had passed through before the game, and the rain continued into the first half - and passes skidded away from intended targets. Both defenses had difficulty with the slick pitch, often finding themselves off-balance and on their heels.

The teams combined for 27 shots in regulation, 17 coming from the Islanders. Their first opportunity may have been their best as Touray snuck past the Revolution defense unmarked in the 2nd minute, and nailed a shot off the crossbar from ten yards out.

Harrisburg ousts New England for the second time in Open Cup play. The Revolution returns to MLS action Saturday when they welcome the Chicago Fire to Gillette Stadium. Harrisburg's next USL PRO opponent will be the Richmond Kickers, who make the trip to Skyline Sports Complex on Friday. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The City Islanders advance to the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup to play the MLS's New York Red Bulls, who defeated the Charleston Battery 3-0 earlier in the evening, on Tuesday, June 5 at 7 p.m. at Skyline Sports Complex.



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 29, 2012


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