USL United Soccer League Championship

Early Goals Lift Energy Past Riverhounds

July 14, 2014 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


OKLAHOMA CITY - OKC Energy FC extended its undefeated streak to seven games as early goals by Michael Thomas and Dan Delgado earned a 2-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in front of 3,619 fans at Pribil Stadium.

Energy FC's Adda Djeziri was the creator of both goals, as his free kick from the right after five minutes found Thomas unmarked at the far post for a header from five yards away. Djeziri then stole possession from a Riverhounds defender in the 19th minute and found Delgado for a simple finish from 12 yards out.

Oklahoma City continued to push forward in the first half, and Pittsburgh goalkeeper Michael Lisch had to make saves from Jimmy Medranda and Thomas to keep it a two-goal game at the halftime break. The Riverhounds came out brightly to start the second half, however, and Jose Angulo twice went close to pulling a goal back in the opening five minutes, only for one effort to go wide and another to be saved by Samir Badr.

The Energy FC defense held firm, however, as it recorded a fourth consecutive shutout and third 2-0 victory in its past four games. The victory also bolstered Oklahoma City's position in the race for the playoffs, as it moved two points clear of the chasing pack for eighth place in the standings.

MONDAY

SACRAMENTO 2, ORANGE COUNTY 1: A stoppage-time winner from Octavio Guzman earned Sacramento Republic FC victory against the Orange County Blues FC at Bonney Field in a game that had been postponed from the previous Saturday due to smoke caused by wildfires in the area.

Republic FC opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when Rodrigo Lopez slipped a pass to Justin Braun on the right side of the penalty area. Braun shot was saved, but Lopez followed up to put home the rebound. Orange County hit back three minutes later, though, as a low cross by Mershad Momeni was put home first time by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Sacramento grabbed victory in the second minute of stoppage time as free kick from the left was punched clear, only to find Guzman in space at the top of the penalty area, and his low shot found the bottom-right corner to earn Republic FC all three points.

FRIDAY

ROCHESTER 3, FC DALLAS RESERVES 0: Colin Rolfe had a goal and an assist as the Rochester Rhinos cruised to victory against the FC Dallas Reserves at Sahlen's Stadium.

The Rhinos took the lead in the 21st minute as Rolfe was denied from eight yards out, only for JC Banks to be on hand to put away the rebound. Rolfe found the back of the net himself 10 minutes later when he was left unmarked to finish off a knock-down by Babacar Diallo off a free kick.

Rochester added a third goal with two minutes to go when Alec Sundly's run in from the left was found by Lance Rozeboom, and the New England Revolution loanee drove a good finish home into the left corner of the net.

SATURDAY

RICHMOND 2, SACRAMENTO 1: Matt Delicâte scored twice after coming on as a second-half substitute as the Richmond Kickers rallied past Sacramento Republic FC at City Stadium.

Sacramento took the lead in the 64th minute when Rodrigo Lopez created space to cross on the left. The delivery deflected off a Richmond head, but still came to Adam Jahn, who headed home at the far post.

Delicâte replied three minutes later with his first touch of the game. A long clearance was flicked on by Jason Yeisley, and Delicâte timed his run well to beat the offside trap and get in one-on-one with the goalkeeper before he finished into the right corner. Delicâte added his second with 11 minutes to go as he met a low cross from the left by George Davis IV with a first-time finish that zipped in at the near post to give the Kickers victory and strengthen their hold on second place in the league standings.

ORLANDO 2, WILMINGTON 0: Goals at either side of halftime by Dennis Chin and Anthony Pulis kept Orlando City's undefeated season rolling along as it defeated the Wilmington Hammerheads FC at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Orlando took the lead just past the half-hour mark as a clever piece of play at the top of the penalty area sent Chin in on goal, and he shot home into the right corner of the net. The Lions were then awarded a penalty early in the second half, and Pulis stepped up to convert as Orlando maintained a 10-point lead at the top of the league standings.

HARRISBURG 3, DAYTON 1: First-half goals by Garret Pettis and Jimmy McLaughlin led the Harrisburg City Islanders past the Dayton Dutch Lions at DOC Stadium.

The City Islanders took the lead in just the fourth minute as Pettis put home a finish after a good buildup by his teammates. McLaughlin doubled the advantage six minutes before the break as he hit a shot from 20 yards that deflected off a Dutch Lions defender and into the back of the net.

Dayton pulled a goal back from the penalty spot with 15 minutes to go as Brock Granger converted following a foul in the penalty area, but Harrisburg clinched the win in stoppage time as Robbie Derschang scored on a breakaway. The win moved the City Islanders into ninth position in the league standings, two points behind both Wilmington and Oklahoma City.

ARIZONA 2, ORANGE COUNTY 1: Goals by Brad Stisser and Jon Okafor gave Arizona United SC its first victory since June 14 as it defeated the Orange County Blues FC at Anteater Stadium.

Stisser scored an outstanding goal to open the scoring in the 37th minute as he met a looping cross from the right on the volley from the edge of the penalty area, and rifled the finish home into the right corner of the net.

Okafor added to United's lead with just more than 15 minutes to go as he headed home a finish from a corner kick by Scott Morrison, and the goal proved important as Orange County's Enrique Cardenas cut the Blues' deficit in half with a fine low strike for his first professional goal with nine minutes to go. United's defense held firm, however, as it moved out of bottom position in the league standings.

CHARLESTON 0, CHARLOTTE 0: The Charleston Battery and Charlotte Eagles finished scoreless in front of a crowd of 4,698 at Blackbaud Stadium.

The Battery had the majority of the chances in the contest, but only forced Charlotte goalkeeper Brock Duckworth into a pair of saves. Quinton Griffith sent the Battery's best chance of the first half over the crossbar, while Haviel Cordoves narrowly missed the target in the second half after good play by fellow Cuban Maikel Chang. In the end, however, both sides had to settle for a point.

STANDINGS

Team GP W L T GF GA Pts

Orlando City 17 14 0 3 35 11 45

Richmond Kickers 18 9 1 8 36 17 35

LA Galaxy II 18 9 5 4 36 25 31

Sacramento Republic FC 17 9 6 2 26 22 29

Rochester Rhinos 19 7 6 6 18 15 27

Orange County Blues FC 18 8 10 0 25 32 24

Wilmington Hammerheads FC 13 5 2 6 20 16 21

OKC Energy FC 16 6 7 3 21 23 21

Harrisburg City Islanders 16 5 7 4 22 24 19

Charlotte Eagles 17 5 9 3 19 23 18

Charleston Battery 16 4 7 5 16 17 17

Dayton Dutch Lions FC 10 5 12 2 21 40 17

Arizona United SC (-2) 17 5 9 3 16 31 16

Pittsburgh Riverhounds 18 3 10 5 18 31 14

RESULTS

Monday, July 7

Sacramento 2, Orange County 1

Friday, July 11

Rochester 3, FC Dallas Reserves 0

Saturday, July 12

Harrisburg 3, Dayton 1

Richmond 2, Sacramento 1

Charleston 0, Charlotte 0

Orlando 2, Wilmington 0

Oklahoma City 2, Pittsburgh 0

Arizona 2, Orange County 1

SCHEDULE

Monday, July 14

Charlotte vs. Sacramento, 7 p.m. ET

Thursday, July 17

Pittsburgh vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m. ET

Oklahoma City vs. Arizona, 8 p.m. ET

Sacramento vs. Orlando, 10:30 p.m. ET

Friday, July 18

Harrisburg vs. Wilmington, 7 p.m. ET

Saturday, July 19

Dayton vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m. ET

Richmond vs. Charleston, 7 p.m. ET

Rochester vs. Wilmington, 7:05 p.m. ET

Oklahoma City vs. LA Galaxy II, 8 p.m. ET

Arizona vs. Orange County, 10:30 p.m. ET

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