USL-1 North Carolina FC

RailHawks Fall to Thunder

Published on June 14, 2009 under USL First Division (USL-1)
North Carolina FC News Release


BLAINE, Minn. - The Carolina RailHawks saw their five-match unbeaten streak come to an end Sunday after falling 2-0 to the last-place Minnesota Thunder at the National Sports Center.

"There's no bad teams in the league, and we didn't perform to our best. If you don't, that's what happens," said RailHawks coach Martin Rennie. ""I think that's one of the first games this season we just didn't play well. I think that's good that's the first time since we've played 13 [games]. The biggest thing I take is we have to learn you have to be playing at your best."

The RailHawks beat Minnesota twice earlier this season, but it became clear early that the RailHawks were having an off day. After three corner kicks in the first five minutes, their attack was silent for almost the entire first half.

Minnesota (1-5-4) entered the game winless in their first nine matches of the season and the Thunder had scored only six goals on the year. On Sunday, they scored twice - both off set pieces - in the first 30 minutes.

"That's a big disappointment," Rennie said. "It's always frustrating when you lose a goal on a set play."

In the 13th minute, Brian Cvilikas headed in a free kick from Ricardo Sanchez. Sanchez served a swerving ball in from the right flank and Cvilikas found a hole in the RailHawks' defense to redirect that ball in.

In the 27th minute, Lawrence Olum scored on a corner kick from Rod Dyachenko. The RailHawks headed down Dyachenko's initial service, but the ball bounced to Olum and he knocked it in.

Before Cvilikas' header, the RailHawks had not allowed a goal to a USL-1 opponent in 499 minutes, dating back to their 2-1 loss to Charleston on May 9.

The RailHawks, playing for the third time in five days, never mounted much of an attack.

In the 37th minute, Brad Rusin's header at the near post went just wide. In the 47th minute, Andriy Budnyy had a look from 18 yards out, but it too went wide. In the 58th minute, Greg Dalby, on loan for the match from the Colorado Rapids, cracked a shot from 12 yards out that went high.

Despite the loss, the RailHawks (7-3-2) remain in second place in the USL-1, one point behind leader Charleston. The RailHawks return to Cary on Tuesday when they will face the USL-2's Wilmington Hammerheads in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup at 7 p.m. They'll play their next USL-1 match on Friday against the Austin Aztex in Austin.

"We've got a good week ahead of us," Rennie said. "With the right result Tuesday, we can get to the third round of the Open Cup and to the top of the league if we win Friday in Austin. That's the outlook we need to have. [Sunday's loss] hurts, but there's loads we can do better."

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USL First Division Stories from June 14, 2009


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