USL Rochester Rhinos

Rochester and Charleston Split the Points

Published on August 2, 2014 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


The Rochester Rhinos and Charleston Battery split the points in a scoreless draw in Sahlen's Stadium on Friday, August 1st 2014. Charleston goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper made four saves on seven shots faced for the shutout. Rochester rookie goalkeeper John McCarthy made six saves on eight shots to keep the clean sheet for the home side.

Playoff position was the story entering the weekend and Rochester remained in fifth place after the final whistle with 31 points from 22 matches. The Rhinos are five points behind Sacramento Republic FC for fourth place, and five points in front of the Wilmington Hammerheads who are currently in sixth place. Both Wilmington and Sacramento have matches in hand on the Rhinos.

Charleston was able to break free from a collection of five teams on 24 points at the start of the night to claim the eighth and final playoff spot with 25 points from 21 matches at the end of Friday night. However, there are five matches on Saturday night that will have an impact on the USL PRO table.

McCarthy has had a standout first season in goal for the Rochester Rhinos. The LaSalle University product has a 6 - 2 - 5 record with a USL PRO leading nine clean sheets, a league low seven goals conceded, and a USL PRO leading 0.538 goals against average.

Weather was the story in Rochester at the beginning of the match. A storm with heavy thunder and lightning rolled through the Josana Neighborhood of Rochester, New York where Sahlen's Stadium is located, and players were not allowed onto the field for pre-game warm-ups until 7:08PM. The original kickoff was scheduled for 7:35PM, but the match did not get underway until 7:48PM.

Charleston and Rochester combined for one shot in the first 15 minutes, but head referee Jeff Forward moved himself into the forefront of the narrative by calling eight fouls on the Rhinos and none on the visiting Battery. The home side was on pace to commit a sure to be USL PRO record 72 fouls, and neither Charleston or Rochester were able to find any sort of rhythm.

For once in the series Charleston was not making the trip into Rochester to play back-to-back matches over the weekend. Typically the Battery and Rhinos have to play a Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday series when they visit one another. Rochester defeated Charleston 1:0 in their first meeting of the season on April 27th in Sahlen's Stadium, but the Battery played the Pittsburgh Riverhounds to a scoreless draw in Highmark Stadium the night before. When the Rhinos visit Blackbaud Stadium on August 15th they will have their match in Charlotte against the Eagles the next night in mind.

After the first 15 minutes Mr. Forward and the Rhinos adjusted to each other. However the rain soaked pitch and two fresh teams playing high pressure resulted in a helter skelter pace where neither team could create a chance. Both teams combined for two shots and three corner kicks after the first half hour.

Both teams tightened up play in the last 15 minutes of the first half as neither team wanted to concede a goal heading into halftime. Expert defensive organization and discipline held both the Rhinos and Battery without a shot in the last 15 minutes of the first half.

Charleston and Rochester entered the first half locked in a scoreless draw.

Rochester has faced a number of opponents this season in Sahlen's Stadium who have kept their defensive shape and looked to counter attack. One of Rhinos head coach Bob Lilley's points of emphasis throughout the 2014 season has been that his team needs to get around the corners of a well organized defensive shape. As a result the Rhinos came out and attacked Charleston down the flanks to start the second half, and play opened up for both teams in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

The Rhinos recorded the first shot on goal of the match in the 52nd minute. Rochester captain Tyler Rosenlund had possession of the ball at the top of the box on the right side of the field. Rosenlund knocked a pass wide to his right to Michael Garzi who pushed forward down the flank. Garzi cut it back with his first touch and played a negative pass to right back Pat McMahon with his second touch. McMahon served a ball in from his supporting position on the right flank. McMahon's service found Minh Vu making a near post run, and Vu's header was on frame but right at Charleston goalkeeper Cooper.

Two minutes later Rhinos left back Onua Thomas Obasi got around the corner on the left flank and blistered a service into the six yard box that Cooper had to parry away.

Charleston created a half chance at the other end in the 56th minute. The Battery's Jose Cuevas served a direct kick from 45 yards out in the middle of the field into the Rhinos penalty area. Obasi won the first ball, and center midfielder Alec Sundly headed the second ball clear out to the right flank. Sundly's service only went as far as Charleston's Quniton Griffith on the right flank. Griffith volleyed the ball on goal from fifteen yards out on the right flank, and McCarthy punched Griffith's service away.

Lilley made two attacking changes in the 65th minute when JC Banks, who is now fully recovered from a concussion, and Levi Houapeu entered the match for Garzi and Vu. Charleston Battery head coach Mike Anhaeuser countered by introducing Zach Prince in the 67th minute and Dante Marini in the 71st minute. The four substitutes took four of both teams 13 combined shots in the second half as the match opened up in the last 15 minutes.

Charleston had their best chance of the match in the 73rd minute. After McCarthy came off of his line to punch a Cuevas corner kick out of the Rochester penalty area, the visitors recycled the ball back out to Cuevas on the left flank. Cuevas served the ball into the Rhinos box at the penalty spot. McCarthy came aggressively off of his line for the second time to punch the ball with two fists, but his effort was hindered by the heavy traffic he ran into in the penalty area. McCarthy's clearance only came as far as the top of the box where Battery striker Dane Kelly hit a well struck shot on goal from a half volley. McCarthy was able to recover his feet and shuffle back to his goal line before diving to his right to parry the ball away.

The Rhinos called Cooper into service in the 76th minute. Banks had the ball in the middle of the field 40 yards out from the Battery goal. Banks played the ball out to Rosenlund on the right flank. Rosenlund smartly held the ball and allowed Houapeu to overlap him. Rosenlund played Houapeu through, and Houapeu dribbled to the endline before driving service into the Battery penalty area from the right flank. Houapeu's service found the head of Bababar Diallo at the far post, and Diallo headed the ball down and on goal from eight yards out. Cooper dove to his right to parry the ball off the goal line to keep the match scoreless.

Chances continued to come at both ends. Kelly got on the end of a Battery cross into the upper left corner of the Rhinos penalty area. Kelly took a touch with his right foot before trying to bend the ball into the upper right corner of McCarhty's goal. Diallo was there to head Kelly's well struck effort away.

One minute later the Rhinos had a corner kick at the opposite end in the 80th minute. JC Banks struck the corner kick into the far post where Diallo headed an initial effort down and on goal from the top of the six yard box. The Battery scrambled the ball away but only as far as Obasi on the penalty spot. Obasi crushed a left footed volley but it was right at Cooper.

Half chances for the Battery from Marini, Mamadou Diouf, and Zach Prince did not trouble McCarthy and the game ended at 0:0 on Forward's final whistle after four minutes of added time.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 2, 2014


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