USL Rochester Rhinos

Rhinos Play to Draw with Defending Champs

Published on May 10, 2014 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


The Rochester Rhinos played to a 1:1 draw with defending USL PRO champion Orlando City in front of 5,457 fans in Sahlen's Stadium on Saturday, May 10th 2014. Tyler Rosenlund scored a first half goal for the Rhinos off of an assist from JC Banks. Luke Boden scored the equalizer for Orlando City off of a second half corner kick. The victory leaves Rochester unbeaten in their past six USL PRO matches.

Orlando City made eight changes to the starting line-up that they used to defeat the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in Pittsburgh the night before. Only center back Brad Rusin, left back Luke Boden, and attacking midfielder Adama Mbengue started on the second night of the Lions back-to-back road trip.

Rochester Rhinos head coach Bob Lilley set out to challenge Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath's new unit by pressing them throughout the first half. The tactic allowed the Rhinos to hold most of the play in the first half, and lock the visitors in their own end by creating a number of uncharacteristic turnovers from the defending champions.

The Rhinos gave Orlando City a warning in the fourth minute. Rochester left back Onua Thomas Obasi created a turnover in the Rhinos attacking half of the pitch. Obasi was able to get his head up and play a ball into Rhinos striker JC Banks who had made a run in behind Orlando City's back four. Banks received the ball, and took a touch in the Lions box, but Orlando City goalkeeper Carl Woszczynski was able to get down at Banks feet and smother the ball before any damage could be done.

Rochester's press created another opportunity in the tenth minute. Rhinos center back Tony Walls played a long ball from the midfield stripe to the top of the Orlando City penalty area. Banks was there at the top of the box to flick a header into the box. Rhinos midfielder Tyler Rosenlund was the first to the 50/50 ball and won a header, but Orlando City center back Rusin won the second ball and tried to head it back to Woszczynski. Rhinos striker Alex Dixon got to the ball before Woszczynski did, but he shot it directly into the goalkeeper's chest.

The match began to settle down for the next fifteen minutes as Orlando City began to adjust to the Rhinos pressure and stopped turning the ball over as frequently. Rochester still controlled possession, but play shifted into the middle third of the field.

The Rhinos had another chance to score in the 24th minute. The ball fell to Dixon's feet at the top of the box. Dixon laid the ball off to Banks with a pass to his right. Banks received the pass from Dixon, took three touches at the top of the box, and then unleashed a shot on goal. Banks effort was well struck, but it ended up being right at Woszczynski.

The Rhinos opened the scoring in the 34th minute. Rochester midfielder Jonny Mendoza played a ball from the middle of the park to Banks wide on the left flank in Orlando City's half of the field. Banks took two touches before serving an early ball into the penalty area. His service found Rosenlund making a near post run. Rosenlund was able to head the cross over Woszczynski into the side panel for his first goal of the 2014 campaign. It was only the second time that Rochester held a lead over Orlando City in the Rhinos all-time series with the Lions.

The assist was the 16 th of Banks career. He is now tied with Doug Miller for sixth place on the Rhinos career regular season assist list.

The Rhinos suffered a pivotal injury five minutes later when Rosenlund needed to be come off. Rosenlund had played the first 39 minutes of the match as a withdrawn forward keeping the midfield of Lance Rozeboom, Alec Sundly, and Mendoza attached to Banks and Dixon. Rosenlund suffered a hamstring injury and substitute Mike Garzi came on to take his place.

The Rhinos went into half time with a 1:0 lead. Rochester out shot Orlando City four to zero in the first 45 minutes.

Heath brought on 2012 USL PRO MVP Kevin Molino for Mbengue at the half, and Orlando City approached the second half with a renewed intensity. Head referee Vito Testa booked Rochester's Mendoza for a dangerous play, and Orlando City midfielder Aohdan Quinn was booked during the same incident for shoving Mendoza.

One minute later Rhinos right back Pat McMahon and Orlando City center back Justin Clark clashed heads in the Rhinos penalty area. Clark had to be removed from the match with a head injury, which forced Orlando City's Heath into a difficult position. Clark was playing for former USL PRO Defender of the Year Rob Valentino who had to be substituted at half time in Pittsburgh and was not in the 18 on Saturday night. With no defenders remaining on his bench Heath elected to move Boden to center back, Quinn to left back and substitute Darwin Cer�n into midfield.

The match opened up for the next twenty minutes as both sides had opportunities to score.

Orlando City had the first chance in the 55 th minute. Lions striker Corey Hertzog broke into the Rhinos half of the field on a counter attack. Hertzog drove down the left flank and cut the ball back when he reached the top of the Rhinos box. Hertzog served the ball into the Rochester penalty area, and his cross found Mikey Lopez at the far post eight yards out from the Rhinos goal. Lopez headed the ball on target, but Rhinos goalkeeper John McCarthy shuffled to his left to make the save.

Three minutes later the Rhinos had a chance to double their advantage. Rozeboom won a 50/50 ball 25 yards out from the Orlando City goal. His header found Banks at the top of the box. Banks flicked the ball to Dixon at the top of the "D". Dixon took a shot from 23 yards out that deflected off of Boden and went just wide of the Lions goal.

Orlando City found the equalizer in the 64th minute. Lions substitute Cer�n served a corner kick into the Rhinos box. Orlando City dummied the ball on at the near post, and the ball found Boden in the middle of the penalty area seven yards out from the Rochester goal. Boden put his shot on target, and it just crossed over the goal line as Mendoza and Rozeboom tried to get the ball cleared. After a signal from his assistant referee, head referee Testa awarded Orlando City the goal.

The goal was the first that Rhinos rookie goalkeeper John McCarthy has allowed in his career, and it broke a streak of 334 consecutive scoreless minutes.

Both teams had a chance to take all three points in the next five minutes. Mendoza played a ball from the right flank to Banks in the Orlando City penalty area in the 67th minute. Banks received the ball 16 yards out from the Lions goal, but he blasted his effort over the goal.

Two minutes later the visitors made a half-hearted appeal in Rochester's penalty area. Hertzog had possession of the ball on the left flank, and centered the ball to Molino in the Rhinos box. Molino tried to take on Rochester center back Kyle Hoffer, but Hoffer was able to poke the ball away. The ball found Lopez on the penalty spot for Orlando City, but the ball was behind him and Lopez hit it over the target. Lopez was hit as he struck the ball, and he went to ground in the Rhinos penalty area. Hertzog and Molino immediately surrounded head referee Testa, but the official waved away the appeals for a penalty.

Both teams made a combined eight substitutions in the last 15 minutes of play to break up any continuity that the match might have had. Rochester dealt with three set pieces in stoppage time to secure only their second point from Orlando in eight previous meetings.

The draw gives the Rochester Rhinos a 2 - 0 - 4 record over the past six matches, and leaves them in a four way tie for fourth place with 10 points. The point leaves Orlando City top of the table with 21 points from a 6 - 0 - 3 record.

The Rhinos next home match is on Wednesday, May 14th at 7:35PM in the Second Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against the Western Mass Pioneers (USL PDL).

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.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 10, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central