Controversial late handball call sends visiting RailHawks home with a 1-0 victory

May 24, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Austin Aztex News Release


AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Aztex head coach Adrian Heath would have been happy with a draw the way his team played. But a controversial handball call from referee Tyler Ploeger turned an even game into the favor of the league-leading Carolina RailHawks.

It all happened in the 83rd minute when a streaking Carolina player broke through the Aztex back line and into the right side of the box where Austin defender David Sias gave chase. The Railhawk player then sent in a quick cross and the ball hit Sias' hand, which was at his side, before landing out of bounds. Ploeger awarded Carolina a penalty kick.

"I thought the penalty was ludicrous," Heath said. "[Sias] must have the best reflexes of any player I've ever known to deliberately hand ball it from a yard away."

"It wasn't even a reaction. My hands were right here," Siad said while holding his arms straight by his side.

Carolina head coach Martin Rennie said he wasn't looking when the call was made and couldn't give his opinion.

On the ensuing penalty kick Carolina's Daniel Paladini made a stutter move, sent his kick to the left, and Aztex goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo dove the opposite direction. It turned out to be the only score of the contest and gave the RailHawks a 1-0 victory in front of 2,388 rain-soaked fans at Nelson Field.

The two sides had played to a stalemate before the penalty kick, both dealing with steady showers that made the field quick and the ball tough to handle. Each had their chances at goal, but failed to convert thanks to missed kicks and impressive saves from each respective goalkeeper.

"It was two teams cancelling each other out," Heath said. "I think we could've held on to get a point out of it, and that's probably all we deserved to get out of it. I don't think they deserved to win and I don't think we did."

The RailHawks' best chance to break the game open came five minutes into the second half when a ball from the midfield made its way over the top of the back line to find a streaking Andriy Budnyy pressuring the Aztex defense. Gallardo came out of his goal to make a diving stop and ended Budnyy's breakaway shot to keep the match scoreless.

A similar door opened up for the Aztex in the 60th minute when some clever footwork from Sullivan Silva in the midfield found Yordany Alvarez with time to pick out a streaking Kyle Brown. Brown bobbled the first touch and turned the ball over to the Carolina defense.

The Aztex struggled to consistently find its offense throughout the game due in part to several players out of the lineup. Gifton Noel-Williams was absent from the bench thanks to a hamstring injury and the team's leading scorer, Eddie Johnson, is currently in England waiting for paperwork to be processed for his work permit.

The Aztex relied on Silva to provide the spark offensively with so many players missing. Silva did his best to keep the offense moving, using his footwork to put pressure on the Carolina back line. The Aztex were able to keep up with the RailHawks offensively, matching the visitors with 13 shots for the match.

"I think what's been apparent over the last two games has been our lack of firepower," Heath said. "That's something we're going to have to address in the next few days."

After the penalty kick put the Aztex all but out of the match, Alvarez almost tallied an equalizer in stoppage time to save a point for Austin. Alvarez completed a diving tackle in the open field that gained him possession then put a boot to the ball for a 25-yard blast that Carolina keeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell was able to save.

Despite Alvarez's late effort, the controversial call had done its damage.

"These things happen and we know that," Heath said. "But overall, I'm disappointed with it."



USL First Division Stories from May 24, 2009


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