Eagles Advance to Round Two with 5-2 Win
June 10, 2008 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charlotte Eagles News Release
(Charlotte, NC) - The Charlotte Eagles played their first round US Open Cup match tonight hosting the Clearwater Galactic of the USASA. Swinehart and Ssejjemba scored two goal each to lead the Eagles in 5-2 victory over the Galactic. The victory advances Charlotte to round two to face the Charleston Battery.
Charlotte had a tough start in the match, and really had trouble settling in. Clearwater had the first quality chance of the game in the 11th minute off a nice combination by Diaz and Cabrerro, but Terry Boss was there to make a great save for Charlotte.
Robert Ssejjemba scored the first goal of the match to put the Eagles up 1-0. Following a great build up from Charlotte working down the right side, Dustin Swinehart put a cross in to Ssejjemba on the far post. Ssejjemba took one touch to control and took a quick shot off the volley to beat Mungvia in goal.
The Galactics tied up the match in the 42nd minute. Oscar Carmona scored the goal for Clearwater with a great individual effort at the top of the box. Carmona created some space for himself and mustered a shot, catching goalkeeper Terry Boss off guard. Caromona's shot beat Boss in the bottom right corner of the goal.
The first half ended the Eagles and Galactic even at 1-1. Shots were fairly even in the half with four for Charlotte and three for Clearwater.
Clearwater took their first lead of the match, scoring the first goal of the second half and go up 2-1. The goal came off long shot from Edwin Diaz. Diaz, in the midfield from about 50 yards out noticed Terry Boss off the line. Diaz put a shot over Boss and into the net.
Charlotte tied the match back up in the 54th minute when Jonah Long was taken down just inside the box, drawing a penalty and a penalty kick for Charlotte. Dustin Swinehart stepped up to take the free kick and blasted a hard shot into the bottom right corner to tie it up at two goals a piece. In the 56th minute the match was stopped due to thunderstorms. The game delay lasted about an hour and 45 minutes before play resumed again.
The Eagles took back the lead of the match in the 66th minute with the second goal of the match by Dustin Swinehart, who is leading the USL-2 in scoring. The goal was set up by Joseph Kabwe driving down the left side toward the endline. Kabwe made a strong cross across the goal mouth. Swinehart came blazing up the middle and connected in mid-air with cross to put it away.
Charlotte continued to look much better since the weather break and the Eagles extended the lead to two goals in the 72nd minute. Taurai Daka played a beautiful through ball up the middle for Jorge Herrera on a run to goal. Herrera was one on one with the keeper and a defender hot on his heals. Herrera made a fantastic shot with the outside of his right foot to bend it around Mungvia in goal, and putting the ball in the bottom left corner of the net.
The Eagles put the nail in the coffin of the Galactic in the 76th minute with a great goal from Robert Ssejjemba. Joseph Kabwe earned his second assist of the match, setting up Robert Ssejjemba for Ssejjemba's second goal of the game. This time Kabwe served the ball in from the right side. Ssejjemba took a one-timer from the top of the 18 yard box to beat Mungvia for a goal in the bottom left corner of the net.
The matched ended with a 5-2 victory for the Charlotte Eagles to advance to round two of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup tournament. The Eagles will face the Charleston Battery in the next round on June 24th at Charleston's Blackbaud Stadium.
The Eagles return to home field action at Restart Field this Saturday, June 14th for "Kick for the Cure" Night at Restart Field. During the doubleheader evening the Charlotte Lady Eagles and the Charlotte Eagles will be wearing special pink Jersey in support of Komen for the Cure's effort to fight breast cancer. The Pink Jerseys will be auctioned off online during the week following the game and all proceeds will go to Komen for the Cure. There will also be a special celebrity shootout challenge between the Lady Eagles game and the Eagles game. The Lady Eagles will kick off the evening at 5:00 pm hosting the Richmond Kickers Destiny and the Eagles match will kick off at 8:00 pm as the Eagles host Western Mass.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 10, 2008
- Stars Win 2-1 In Hard Fought Battle Against Michigan To Advance In US Open Cup - Cleveland City Stars
- Eagles Advance to Round Two with 5-2 Win - Charlotte Eagles
- English Championship Club Chase American Dream - Richmond Kickers
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