Palace Bow Out In Semi-Final Thriller At Charlotte

Published on August 19, 2008 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Crystal Palace Baltimore News Release


August 19th 2008 - Baltimore, MD - Crystal Palace FC USA were defeated in an entertaining USL2 playoff semi-final match on Saturday night in Charlotte by the top-seeded Eagles. Shintaro Harada gave Palace a fourth minute lead, but two Charlotte goals in three minutes early in the second half were enough to see the North Carolina side through to the Championship match against the Cleveland City Stars next weekend.

Co-Managers Pete Medd and Jim Cherneski put out the same starting eleven that defeated Harrisburg on Wednesday in the first round of the playoffs. The decision paid quick dividends when Palace took the lead on four minutes after top scorer Gary Brooks earned a free-kick when he was knocked over just outside the left corner of the area. Val Teixeira stood over the ball and directed his teammates as if setting up a cross into the goalmouth. But Palace had faked Charlotte perfectly as Teixeira instead rolled the ball back to the middle where Shintaro Harada hit a first-time shot from 30 yards out. The ball sped along the turf and inside the right post for Palace's first goal against Charlotte all season.

Both teams pressed forward as the half progressed, with Matthew Mbuta and Gary Brooks creating a couple of half-chances for Palace on 23 and 25 minutes. A few minutes later Palace ‘keeper Brian Rowland had to be at his best to keep the home side from netting the equalizer - Alex Woods and USL2 top-scorer Dustin Swinehart combined well but Rowland made a brave, close-range block and swiftly recovered the loose ball.

Around the half-hour mark, Brooks, Larry Mark and left back Mateus dos Anjos each had solid chances and Charlotte managed to hit one off the crossbar, but the score somehow remained just 1-0 to Palace. Just before the end of the first period Mark went down in an off-the-ball collision with a Charlotte player and received lengthy treatment on the field for an apparent knee injury, eventually being substituted by David Feazell.

With half-time approaching, Brooks broke down the left channel and into the box but there wasn't enough power in his left-footed effort and Terry Boss in the Charlotte goal gathered comfortably. In the second minute of stoppage time, Mbuta was hip-checked hard as he tried to round a Charlotte defender, bringing Palace trainer Leslie McManus onto the pitch for the fourth time in a physical half. Another minute later and back-to-back Charlotte corners forced some great defensive work, including a huge punch clear by the Palace ‘keeper, followed soon after by a brilliant grab of the ball right off the top of Swinehart's head to end the half.

The game was turned upside-down just three minutes into the second half. With his back to goal, half-time substitute Rob Ssejemba took a great pass from Jorge Herrera and tried to turn his defender in the box. Harada reacted quickly and as he took his first steps to stay with the Ugandan forward, Ssejemba flopped to the ground after minimal contact. Herrera stepped up to the spot and calmly sent Rowland the wrong way to pull Charlotte level.

Less than three minutes later, Charlotte left-back Josh Rife sent a chest-high cross from the left touchline into the box. Swinehart placed his diving header into the lower left side of the goal to stun Palace and their travelling supporters.

Charlotte didn't let their foot of the pedal and seemed to be winning every loose ball. On 59 minutes, Rowland was in the thick of it again as Charlotte peppered the Palace goal with shots. At the other end of the pitch, it was Mike Lookingland getting a couple of good opportunities but his attempts both sailed over the bar.

With only 20 minutes to find an equalizer, Palace started to force Charlotte onto the back foot. Harada lofted a 40 yard free kick onto the head of Andrew Marshall at the back post but his effort glanced off the woodwork. Two minutes later, Mbuta fed Brooks and his low shot from an acute angle was well stopped by the outstretched hand of Boss. The non-stop action continued unabated as Ssejemba just failed to get on the end of a free-kick at the other end of the pitch.

The 82nd minute introduction of lofty center-back Ibrahim Kante into a more attacking role increased the pressure on Charlotte. He soon earned himself a free-kick on the edge of the box but the delivery was too short and the Charlotte defense cleared easily. On 85 minutes, the Palace players were beside themselves when the referee ignored their claims that Pat Healey's attempted cross inside the box was blocked at close range by the arm of a Charlotte defender. With one minute of regulation time remaining, Kante delivered a free-kick into the box which Val Teixeira headed just wide of the right post. In the 90th minute, Palace again claimed a penalty for handball but the referee awarded a free-kick just inches outside the box. Mike Lookingland stepped up and blasted the ball wide of the left post.

The fourth official announced three minutes of stoppage time and the Palace onslaught continued. In the 93rd minute Gary Brooks pounced on a poor piece of defending by Steve Shak setting up a race for the ball with Charlotte ‘keeper Boss. As Brooks reached the loose ball first and played it towards the area, the Charlotte ‘keeper took Palace's Jamaican forward down about a yard outside the box. After several minutes of confusion and consultation among the officials, Boss was shown the red card, prompting another hefty delay as Kevin Trapp was subbed in with Ssejemba being sacrificed to make way for the back-up goalie. Mike Lookingland lined up the free-kick but the opportunity went begging as the shot flew high over the bar. Trapp was called on to make one more save in the dying seconds and Charlotte held on to end Palace's season.

"It was a fantastic semi-final match" said Palace Co-Manager Pete Medd. "You couldn't ask any more of our guys. To come off a double-overtime, penalty shoot-out game a couple of days ago against Harrisburg, to step into Charlotte and really take the game to them was just an incredible effort." Medd bemoaned a key decision by the match officials: "For the referee to give a soft goal right at that stage, it just changed the dynamics completely in a game that we were in control of. It was the turning point of the match. To switch the momentum a couple of minutes into the second half in a game of that magnitude, you've got to keep your whistle in your hand. I think it's one he immediately wished he had back."

Fellow Co-Manager Jim Cherneski echoed Medd's sentiments: "We're very disappointed to lose, but I think we played well. It was a questionable penalty if you're honest. But Swinehart's finish for the winning goal was special - he's the type of player than can do that kind of thing. We went in with very specific ideas and tactics that we wanted to achieve which made for a very competitive game. We had our chances, but it was an evenly played, entertaining game, and overall I'm pleased with our performance. I still say Charlotte is the best team I've seen in a long time at any level. They have to be the favorites going into the final but Cleveland are a good team too."

"You need a little bit of luck and we were just very, very unlucky today," Medd concluded. "We did everything we could to win and we just came up a bit short. To be one of the top teams in this league in just our second year, I'm very proud. We're going to put the same amount of work in the coming months that we put in last off-season to improve our team. We're just going to keep making strides until we're on top."

Crystal Palace FC USA - a direct extension of Crystal Palace Football Club, a 103-year old, $100 million club based in London, England - is proud to bring big-league, professional, outdoor soccer back to Baltimore, providing area residents with a world-class, family entertainment experience. For more information please visit www.CrystalPalaceUSA.com

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 19, 2008


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