USL Penn FC

Isles Pick up 3 Points in Charleston

May 31, 2013 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Penn FC News Release


(CHARLESTON, SC)- The Harrisburg City Islanders earned their first win at Charleston on Friday night, defeating the Charleston Battery in a physical match by a final score of 2-1.

The victory was the first win in three games for the Islanders and moved them to a tie for third place in the league with 19 points. The Islanders faced a familiar foe on Friday night at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina and were able to hand the Battery their first home loss of the year. This was the second match up of the year between the teams with the Battery winning the first match by the same 2-1 score at Skyline Sports Complex.

The first half saw the opening goal come after a few great chances for both the Islanders and Battery. The Battery's Michael Azira, who got a pass from teammate Jose Cuevas, slipped the ball through the box to Benjamin Fisk who chipped it in to an open net.

The Islanders didn't trail for long as they opened their scoring just two minutes later after Battery goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper tried a move to clear the ball but turned right into an Islander who was hungry for a goal. Sainey Touray took the ball right off of Cooper's feet and slid it in to the goal to knot the game up at one in the 38th minute. This was Touray's sixth goal of the season and he currently sits in third place in goal scoring.

Both goalkeepers would have to stand tall in the dying minutes of the half to keep the game tied. The first chance came as Cuevas' attempt at goal was foiled by a sprawling Nick Noble, who got his hands on a ball that seemed to be destined for the back of the net.

The next save came from the rookie goalie for the Battery who made a save close to the one Noble had made just minutes before. The ball came in off of a throw-in to the foot of Touray. The ball, again, seemed to be heading to the back of the net to put the Islanders up by a goal heading in to half, but Cooper made up for his earlier blunder by punching the ball that seemed to already be in the net.

The Islanders came out in the second half with pace and it showed when Yann Ekra fed the ball between two Battery defenders to Touray who took a hard shot on goal. The shot bounced off of the goal keeper and to the feet of Jimmy McLaughlin who was never able to get a shot off as we was taken down by the Battery's Ellison in the penalty box, which warranted a penalty shot in the 52nd minute.

The penalty shot was the first one the Battery faced all year. Steven Basso stepped up to the spot and drove the ball in to the back of the net for the winning goal that put the Islanders on top for good.

After the Islanders went up they never looked back, keeping possession for a majority of the second half and using their speed to get up the field to create chances. In stoppage time however, the Battery were awarded two corners that brought everyone on the field into the Islanders penalty box. One soared across the mouth of the goal and the other was headed out of danger.

This was the Islanders first win in three games and they improve to 6-2-1 in the league (6-3-1 overall) and it moves them into third place. The next game for the Islanders will be tomorrow at Queens University Stadium, this will be he last game of the four game road trip for the Islanders.

The next home game for the Islanders will be on June 5th at 7 p.m. at Skyline Sports Complex when the Islanders will take on the Wilmington Hammerheads. For information go to www.cityislanders.com or call (717)-441-GOAL.



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 31, 2013


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