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USL Rochester Rhinos

Rochester Tops Harrisburg 4:0

August 22, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


ROCHESTER, NY - The Rochester Rhinos delivered the biggest loss the Harrisburg City Islanders ever suffered in Sahlen's Stadium on Saturday, August 22nd 2015 when they topped their rival 4:0. Captain Tony Walls finished a penalty kick in the first half. Harrisburg was reduced to ten men in the 56th minute when their veteran midfielder Yann Ekra was sent off. Rochester used the man advantage to their advantage as Steevan Humberto Fortes dos Santos scored a brace, and rookie Asani Samuels scored his first USL goal for the fourth to close out the scoring. Rookie goalkeeper Adam Grinwis made two saves to keep his fourth clean sheet of the season. The Rhinos victory kept Rochester at the top of the USL Eastern Conference table and preserved their five point advantage over Louisville City FC.

Every team in the 12 team USL Eastern Conference was in action against each other on Saturday night, August 22nd, and all six matches kicked off between 7PM and 8PM.

The Rochester Rhinos entered Saturday night's match at the top of the Eastern Conference with 47 points from 22 matches, and held a five point lead over second place Louisville City FC. Rochester kicked off at 7PM while City hosted Charleston Battery in Slugger Stadium with a 7:30PM kickoff.

Harrisburg entered the match in seventh place in the USL Eastern Conference table - one point behind Pittsburgh for the sixth and final playoff spot with a match in hand on the Riverhounds. City Islanders head coach Bill Becher made only one change to his line-up that defeated Toronto FC II 2:0 at the Ontario Soccer Center on Wednesday night. Enric Valles, who entered the evening tied for seventh in USL with six assists, replaced Andrew Lubalan in midfield.

The Rochester Rhinos opened the scoring in the 16th minute on a penalty kick. The sequence that led Harrisburg to commit a foul in their own penalty area began when the City Islanders back four did a quality job in poking the ball away from the feet of Rochester striker Steevan Humberto Fortes dos Santos. Rhinos captain Tony Walls settled the loose ball forty yards out from the Harrisburg goal with his first touch, and then chipped a ball over the top to midfielder Alex Dixon with his second touch. Walls' pass set Dixon loose in behind the City Islanders defense, and Dixon was able to catch up to the ball on the right flank just before it rolled over the end line. As evidence to just how far out of shape Walls pass caught Harrisburg, their midfielder Jose Barrill was the first player to catch up to Dixon in the Harrisburg box. Dixon used his pace to get past Barrill, but the City Islanders midfielder made a clumsy challenge and knocked Dixon to the turf. Head referee David Mon did not hesitate before blowing his whistle and pointing to the penalty spot. Walls took the spot kick and baited Harrsiburg goalkeeper Nick Noble to dive to his left before coolly finishing into the opposite side of the goal. The goal was Walls third of the regular season.

With the stakes high for both teams chances were at a premium in the first 45 minutes. Rochester and Harrisburg combined for six shots with each team taking three of them. The best of the chances came to Harrisburg in the 36th minute. City Islanders striker Craig Foster found time and space in between the lines of Rochester's back four and their central midfield tandem. Foster used his opportunity to run at the Rhinos back four before attempting an audacious chip over Rochester goalkeeper Adam Grinwis. Foster's attempt was destined for the upper left corner of the net before Grinwis jumped and made an athletic save.

Rochester entered halftime with a 1:0 lead.

The City Islanders were reduced to ten men after midfielder Yann Ekra was sent off by head referee Mon. Dixon was the catalyst again for the Rhinos as he received a ball to feet, and ran at the Harrisburg back four. Dixon nutmegged center back Ken Tribbett to get in behind the visitors back four and in on goal. Noble came charging off of his line while Ekra chased Dixon down from behind. Ekra pushed Dixon into the path of Noble, and the Rhinos midfielder went tumbling to the ground. Mon judged the foul occurred outside of the penalty area, but sent Ekra off for serious foul play in the 56th minute.

The Rochester Rhinos doubled their advantage in the 67th minute. Rochester midfielder Kenardo Forbes played a bouncing ball from 50 yards out on the right flank. Forbes textured the ball with back spin into the path of dos Santos. Steevan settled the ball with his first touch and steamrolled into the visitor's penalty area dribbling from right to left. Dos Santos dribbled to the penalty spot before finishing back across his body and into the lower right corner of the net.

Steevan Humberto Fortes dos Santos completed his brace three minutes later. Rochester left back Sean Totsch played a cultured ball with the outside of his right foot from the left flank into the City Islanders penalty area. Dos Santos picked up the ball on the left side of the visitors penalty area, dribbled in on goal, and shot his initial attempt into the chest of Noble. Dos Santos was first to the rebound and tapped the ball into the empty net to give Rochester a 3:0 lead.

The Rhinos closed out the scoring in the 86th minute. Totsch was the play maker again for the second time in as many goals. This time Totsch played a sweeping ball from the midfield stripe from the right back position and found the run of substitute Colin Rolfe. Rolfe settled the ball and dribbled it down the left flank to the end line before playing a cross into the Harrisburg goal mouth. Substitute Asani Samuels was first to Rolfe's cross and rattled it over the goal line for his first USL goal of the season.

The Rhinos next match is in Rochester against Saint Louis FC on Sunday, August 30th 2015 at 4:05PM in Sahlen's Stadium. Single game tickets to the match are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), online via Ticketmaster, or by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium during business hours.

Rochester Rhinos season tickets, flex packages, and group sales tickets are also currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), online via Ticketmaster, or by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium during business hours.



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 22, 2015


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