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USL Rochester Rhinos

Rhinos' Rally Falls Short in Season Opener

April 5, 2014 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


2012 USL PRO Most Valuable Player Kevin Molino had a goal and an assist as the Orlando City Lions claimed their first three points of the season with a 3:1 victory over the Rhinos in Rochester's season opener at ESPN Wide World of Sports on Saturday, April 5th 2014. Molino and Rob Valentino scored first half goals to give defending USL PRO champion Orlando City Lions a 2:0 lead at the half. JC Banks scored the Rochester Rhinos first goal of the season in the 54th minute, but substitute Dennis Chin secured all three points in the 75th minute for Orlando City.

The victory was the first of the season for Orlando City, and came in the Lions third match of the season. Orlando City had previously played to a 1:1 draw with the Charleston Battery on March 22nd, and a 1:1 draw with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on March 29th.

The defending USL PRO champions opened the scoring in the third minute. El Salvadorian attacking midfielder Darwin Cerén set right back Tyler Turner loose down the right flank. Turner crossed the ball to striker Corey Hertzog whose shot was blocked at the near post. However, the deflection fell to Molino who was eight yards out in the middle of the Rhinos penalty area. Molino kept his composure and gave goalkeeper Luis Soffner no chance as he finished into the upper right hand corner of the net.

Rochester head coach Bob Lilley set his side up to attack in Orlando, and the Rhinos were able to create a couple of chances after they settled down in the first half. In the 13th minute striker Colin Rolfe received a ball with his back to goal at the midfield stripe from center back Patrick Slogic. Rolfe laid the ball off to center midfielder Tyler Rosenlund, and Rosenlund played a diagonal ball through to attacking midfielder Minh Vu. Vu was in on goal, but Orlando City goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo got off his line to close down the angle. Gallardo's pressure forced Vu's shot to just miss at the far post.

Rochester attacked again in the 22nd minute. Rolfe was able to knock down a direct ball from the Rhinos back four on the left hand side of the Orlando penalty area. Rochester attacking midfielder Alex Dixon was the first to the knock down, but his one touch half volley was only able to find the side netting from 15 yards out.

Orlando City sent the visiting Rhinos a warning in the 28th minute. Holding midfielder Aodhan Quinn played the ball into the feet of attacking midfielder Austin da Luz on the left flank. da Luz played an overlapping Luke Boden through down the left flank, but Dixon tracked back and blocked Boden's service over the end line for an Orlando City corner kick. Cerén served the ensuing corner kick into the Rhinos box where Molino flicked the ball on to Hertzog on the far post. Hertzog hit his shot on frame, but it struck the corner of the goal and bounced clear. Cerén was first to the rebound at the top of the box. He struck his shot through a crowded penalty area where it was gratefully held by Soffner.

Orlando City doubled their advantage in the 35th minute. Cerén played a reverse pass to Taylor down the right flank, but Rhinos left back Ayao Sossou was able to block Taylor's service over the end line for a Lions corner kick. On the ensuing corner kick Cerén served the ball into the top of the six yard box. Soffner got off his line to punch the ball clear, but his effort fell to the feet of Yordany Alvarez in the Rhinos penalty area. Alvarez played a square ball to Valentino who punched the ball into the back of the net.

Two minutes later Orlando City had the chance to put the match out of reach, but Soffner was up to the challenge. The Lions played a long ball to Hertzog, and he was able to wrestle his way past Slogic to put himself free in on goal. This time it was Soffner who was quickly off of his line to close down the angle, and Soffner was able to dive to his right to save Hertzog's effort.

In their first match of the season in Charleston, the Battery were content to allow Orlando City to possess the ball in most of the field and kept their defensive shape in their own penalty area. Pittsburgh picked up their pressure in the final third in the second match of the season. In the season opener Rhinos head coach Bob Lilley dared to be brave and set his side up to press Orlando City in the entire defensive half of the pitch, and the strategy put the Rhinos back into the match in the second half.

In the 54th minute Lions center back Brad Rusin was under heavy pressure from the Rhinos, and tried to relieve it with a back pass to his goalkeeper Gallardo. However, Banks was able to cut out the back pass and dribble in on the Orlando City goal. Banks took a shot low to the near post, but Gallardo was able to dive to his left and parry the ball away. The rebound fell straight into Banks' path, and he was able to power the ball into the roof of the net giving Gallardo no chance to recover.

The most entertaining portion of the match ensued as both teams went on to attack each other in end-to-end action.

Banks had a chance to level the match two minutes later. Rolfe flicked a long ball played into him on for Banks. Banks was first to the loose ball, and was through on the Orlando City goal again. This time Lions defenders where able to recover, and they forced Banks to shoot from the top of the Orlando City box. His shot was not far off the mark and flew just past the upper left hand corner of the Lions goal.

Orlando City was next to attack in the 59th minute. Orlando City played a long ball into Hertzog. Although his first touch got away from him, Hertzog won the ensuing battle for the 50/50 ball, and knocked it wide to Molino. Molino struck the ball at the near post, but Soffner was able to dive to his left to make the save.

Temperatures in Orlando were in the 80s at kickoff and the match petered out in the last half hour. Orlando City was able to find their third goal of the match, and secure all three points before any late drama could unfold in the 75th minute. Their attacking move started when Cerén was able to set Molino loose down the right flank. Molino crossed the ball along the ground at the top of the Rhinos six yard box. Rochester center back Kyle Hoffer was not able to cut out the service, and Chin tucked the ball past Soffner to secure all three points for the home side.

 

Although the two teams played to the same result in Orlando a season ago in the Rhinos second match of the season, the 1:3 loss in 2012 played out much differently. Blake Brettschneider scored a consolation goal in stoppage time to dress up what had been a bad defeat. Although Charleston and Pittsburgh each have taken a point off of the defending champions this season, those matches could have easily gone a different way. Charleston conceded 15 corner kcicks to the Lions, and Pittsburgh was out shot 17 to seven at the ESPN Wide World of Sports just seven days ago. Unofficially, the Rhinos were out shot 14 to nine and corner kicks ended up even. No points out of it, but Lilley's young side turned in the best performance against Orlando City in USL PRO to date on Saturday night.

The Rhinos next match is Friday, April 11th 2014 at the Dayton Dutch Lions. Kickoff is slated for 7PM, and the match can be seen live in its entirety via streaming video on the Dutch Lions YouTube Live channel.

The Rhinos will open their 19th season in Rochester on Sunday, April 27th at 4PM in Sahlen's Stadium against the Charleston Battery. Rhinos single match tickets will go on sale on Monday, April 7th at 10AM. Tickets for the home opener as well as any other 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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