USL Rochester Rhinos

Rhinos Drop Home Match to Charlotte

Published on June 28, 2014 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


The Rochester Rhinos lost to the visiting Charlotte Eagles 1:0 in Sahlen's Stadium on Saturday, June 28th 2014. Charlotte striker Gui Brandao scored the only goal of the match off of an assist from midfielder Wells Thompson. Eagles goalkeeper Alec Kann kept the clean sheet for the visitors.

After a slow start to the match, the home team began to exert their will. In the 17th minute Rhinos central midfielder Michael Garzi played a ball into the feet of left midfielder Alec Sundly who had cut into the middle of the park at the top of the "D". Sundly received the ball and played it to his right to striker Levi Houapeu. Houapeu took a touch, absorbed some contact from Charlotte center back Bilal Duckett, and then dribbled into the Eagles box before shooting from 16 yards out. Houapeu's shot was right at Charlotte goalkeeper Alec Kann.

The Rhinos had another chance less than ten minutes later. Garzi was fouled 35 yards out on the left flank late in the 25th minute. Frontrunner Minh Vu took the ensuing free kick in the 26th minute. Vu drove his service over the target area and past the right side of the six yard box. Center back Babacar Diallo had pushed forward for the free kick and managed to get under Vu's service. Diallo headed the ball back toward the top of the six yard box where left back Patrick Slogic popped up in space. Slogic flashed his header just over the crossbar for a Charlotte goal kick.

Late in the first half the visitors created some chances after absorbing pressure for most of the first 45 minutes. In the 42nd minute Charlotte had their first chance of the match. After an extended spell of possession Eagles left back Tolani Ibikunle played the ball from the left flank into the feet of Gui Brandao on the left side of the Rhinos penalty area. Brandao got around the corner and began to dribble up the endline before placing a shot from an acute angle right into the hands of New Englad Revs loanee goalkeeper Luis Soffner. One minute later Brandao got in behind Rochester's center backs but Slogic was able to recover from left back and slide in to tackle the ball over the endline. The ensuing corner kick came to nothing, and the first half came to an end.

Charlotte opened the scoring in the 52nd minute. Thompson served a ball into the Rhinos box from the right flank. His service found the head of striker Brandao eight yards out. Brandao's run had slipped him into the space between Rhinos right back Tony Walls and center back Kyle Hoffer. Brandao took a free header and snuck it inside the post. Soffner dove to his right and got both hands on the header, but could not keep it out of the net. The goal was Brandao's first of the season, and the assist was the second of the season for Thompson.

Rochester had a golden chance to find an equalizer from the penalty spot in the 55th minute. Rochester right midfielder Jonny Mendoza was on the ball at the endline on the right hand side of Charlotte's penalty box. Mendoza was tackled from behind and sent to the field turf of Sahlen's Stadium by Eagles center back Duckett. Head referee John Douglas did not hesitate to point to the spot. Vu stepped up to take the penalty, and he hit his effort to the left side of the goal. Kann dove to his right to make the save.

Charlotte had the next two chances in the match. In the 63rd minute the Eagles just missed doubling their advantage when a volley sailed over Soffner's cross bar. Three minutes later a loose ball fell to midfielder Zak Boggs in the Rhinos penalty area. Boggs let the ball bounce before sending his half volley just past Soffner's far post.

With twenty minutes left in the match Rochester head coach Bob Lilley sent his leading scorer JC Banks and striker Matt Luzunaris into the match to try to get a result.

The home side turned up the pressure on the Eagles goal, and locked the visitors into their own half. The Rhinos had their best chance of the closing minutes of the match in the 86th minute. Substitute Sam Petrone's corner kick was cleared away by the Eagles defenders but only as far as Rhinos substitute Jossimar Sancez 25 yards out in the middle of the pitch. Sanchez played the ball wide to Petrone via a Tyler Rosenlund dummy. Petrone served the ball back into the box from the right flank. His service found Sundly at the top of the six yard box. Sundly headed the ball down, but a cluster of Charlotte defenders and goalkeeper Kann were able to keep the ball out of the back of the net. Two minutes later Rosenlund played a long ball into the box that found Banks head at the top of the six yard box. Banks headed the ball down, but Kann made the save. Time ran out on the Rhinos and Rochester lost their third match of the season in Sahlen's Stadium.

Kann ended the match with four saves on eight shots faced for his first clean sheet of the season. He has only allowed four goals in his five league starts this season.

Charlotte picked up a point in a 1:1 draw with Harrisburg City Islanders on Friday, June 27th before beating the Rhinos and picking up three points on Saturday night. The four points moved Charlotte from 11th place into eighth place with 17 points from 15 games played. The Rhinos remain in fifth place with 24 points from 17 matches played. Four matches remained to be completed on Saturday night that will have an impact on the standings.

The Rhinos next home match is Friday, July 11th 2014 at 7:35PM against the FC Dallas Reserves. Tickets for any match on the Rhinos home schedule will be available by by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium, or by visiting ticketmaster.com. Rochester Rhinos season tickets, flex packages and group ticket sales are also currently available.

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