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Silverbacks Visit Rowdies in Pivotal Spring Season Clash

April 25, 2014 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Atlanta Silverbacks News Release


If the Atlanta Silverbacks can keep the momentum they built up in the second half of last Saturday's 2-1 loss to the San Antonio Scorpions, the Tampa Bay Rowdies could have their hands full this weekend. The Silverbacks (0-0-2) travel to Florida's Gulf Coast in search of their first victory of the season, as they take on the Rowdies (0-2-0) this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the newly renovated Al Lang Stadium.

While both teams enter Saturday night's game with winless records, the Rowdies have at least managed to take a point away from each of their first two games. Head Coach Ricky Hill's side has gone 1-0 up in both of its games this season, but each time, they relinquished that lead in the dying minutes of the game to settle for a share of the points.

A share of the points is exactly what the Silverbacks would have liked to achieve in their last game - a disappointing one-goal loss that saw countless scoring chances go begging late in the game. After midfielder Junior Sandoval pulled one back for the Silverbacks to cut the Scorpions lead to 2-1, they looked destined to find the equalizer in front of their passionate home fans. It wasn't to be, though, as forward Jaime Chavez's header inched just wide of the post and defender Edgar Espinoza's shot was cleared off the line in the final moments.

Both sides would admit that they haven't gotten off to the starts they had been hoping for this season. With only nine NASL Spring Season games, dropping points at all, especially at home, could cost teams their spot in the playoff race. The Rowdies kicked off their season at home against FC Edmonton, and until an equalizer from the Canadian side in the 88th minute, it looked as if they would capture a win to the start the season. A similar situation happened to the Rowdies last weekend on the road in Indianapolis when forward Brian Shriver's early goal was cancelled out by a strike in the 81st minute by Indy Eleven's Erick Norales.

For the Silverbacks, the overall run of play hasn't been the concern. Despite losing 4-0 in New York and 2-1 at home to San Antonio, technical director Eric Wynalda's side has largely dominated the run of play. The Silverbacks are creating plenty of scoring opportunities, outshooting their first two opponents by a combined count of 32-23. One has to wonder how many more Silverbacks shots can fall inches wide of the post without a few finally finding the net.

"Our results thus far could be very different if we would have been a little more clinical in front of the net, so we've worked on finishing quite a bit actually," Wynalda said. "When you outshoot your opponents in the first two games and don't come away with any points, then that is a bit of a concern."

Evidence from the first two Spring Season games suggests that forwards Kwadwo Poku, Deon McCaulay, and Jaime Chavez are going to put themselves into advantageous positions against the Rowdies on Saturday - the question is whether or not they will be able to finish those opportunities.

One player who hasn't had any trouble finishing is Shriver, who has already bagged a goal for his new club. The former North Carolina Tar Heel, who won the NASL Golden Boot last year as a member of the Carolina RailHawks, has picked up right where he left off. Shriver tallied a goal in the Rowdies' last game against Indy Eleven, and he will certainly be a player for the Silverbacks' back line to pay attention to. Adding to the talent that Shriver brings to the team is forward Georgi Hristov, who was named NASL's top player last year, winning the Golden Ball.

"Tampa Bay is always a very difficult team to play against, especially on their home field," Wynalda said. "We worked very hard this week to get things right, and we look forward to hopefully having that hard work translate into a result on Saturday."

The Silverbacks and Rowdies clashed four times last season, with the latter holding the edge on the head-to-head matchup. Hill's side posted a 2-1-1 record against the Silverbacks last season, beating the Silverbacks once at home and once away. The Silverbacks' lone win against the Rowdies last season came in dramatic fashion. Down 3-1 at halftime on the road, the Silverbacks scored three unanswered goals in the second half to claim an unlikely three points in front of a stunned Al Lang Stadium. Forwards Ruben Luna and Pedro Mendes each posted two-goal performances in that game.

Saturday's match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and can be seen live online at ESPN3.com or NASLLive.com. For Silverbacks fans wanting to watch the game together, the club will be hosting a viewing party at the Elder Tree Public House in East Atlanta. The party will have food and drink specials, giveaways, and more. The Elder Tree Public House is located at 469 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30316.

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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.

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