Stars fall 4-1
July 25, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Cleveland City Stars News Release
ROCHESTER, New York- The Cleveland City Stars fought hard through the second game of a two-game road trip as they fell 4-1 to the Rochester Rhinos in the final matchup between the two squads of the season. Defender Ibrahim Kante scored the Stars goal off a well-placed penalty kick.
The rain-delayed game began as a Rochester offensive onslaught, with the Rhinos forwards applying extensive pressure on the City Stars defense. In the 3rd minute, Rhinos forward Johnny Menyongar found himself in front of an open Cleveland goal, and executed a skilled bicycle kick that slammed into the back of the City Stars net. Luckily for the Stars, Menyongar was called offsides and the goal was not counted. City Stars goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap was kept busy for the next few minutes, saving several unpredictable shots on the soaked field. In the 19th minute, Rhinos forward Warren Ukah took a powerful shot on goal that deflected off of Gilstrap's face before being cleared by City Stars defenders.
Despite the early luck, the City Stars ran into trouble in the 25th minute, when Gilstrap fumbled a clearance and distributed the ball directly to Rhinos midfielder John Ball. Ball calmly passed the ball forward to Ukah who went one on one with Gilstrap before lofting the ball over the keeper for the first goal of the match. Ukah's excitement carried over into subsequent play, and he earned a yellow card in the 27th minute.
The Stars had a chance with a corner kick in the 34th minute, when forward Jason Hotchkin crossed the ball into the box in an attempt to find defender Anthony Peters. Peters got a head on the ball but headed it across the field and out of bounds. The Rhinos stepped up the pressure after the City Stars opportunity, and in the 41st minute Johnny Menyongar made his mark once again. Menyongar beat Stars defender Troy Roberts, leaving him on the ground before rounding Gilstrap to score the second Rhinos goal of the match. Although Gilstrap made 7 saves in the half, the first half ended with a 2-0 Rochester lead.
The second half began bleakly for the City Stars when Rochester came strongly out of the gate. In just the first minute of the half, City Stars defender Anthony Peters attempted to clear the ball from the Stars half but kicked it directly into Fitzpatrick of the Rhinos. The ball deflected in towards the center of the field where Menyongar was waiting unmarked. Meyongar put the ball into the bottom corner of the net to make the score 3-0. 4 Minutes later, Menyongar had another opportunity when he broke free of the pack and went up against Gilstrap. Luckily for the Stars, Gilstrap's instincts were good and he dropped to his knees to block the Rhinos shot.
The City Stars defense pulled together after Gilstrap's save, and defender Paul Ballard put a stop to another Menyongar chance in the 53rd minute. Intercepting Menyongar with a skilled tackle, Ballard cleared the ball out of bounds. The City Stars offense seemed invigorated as well, and in the 61st minute forward Jason Hotchkin took a shot that swerved wide of the Rhinos goal. Midfielder Ryan Stewart also had an opportunity in the 63rd minute, and forced keeper Scott Vallow to his knees before the shot also went wide.
The Stars momentum dwindled in the 76th minute, when Rhinos foward Tai Atieno recieved an excellent ball from his teammate Kwame Sarkodie, a former City Stars player. Atieno dribbled up to Gilstrap before tipping the ball wide of the keeper to slot it perfectly inside the far post of the goal, bringing the score to 4-0.
Although the City Stars offensive energy increased towards the end of the game, the Stars were unable to create any chances until the late minutes or the match. In the 86th minute the City Stars earned a free kick on the top line of the Rochester box. Defender Ibrahim Kante set up to take the kick while the Rhinos, concerned with preserving the shutout, set up an 8-man wall. Kante's powerful shot passed through the wall but was deflected out of bounds. Just two minutes later, forward Israel Sesay was fouled outside and wide of the Rochester box after a shove from defender Nano Short. The free kick was well-placed in the box, but another foul was called for the City Stars when Stars midfielder Alioune Gueye was shoved by Sarkodie, earning the City Stars a penalty kick. In the 90th minute, Kante stepped up to take the kick and rocketed the ball over the arms of the diving Vallow to spoil the keeper's shutout, and end the game at 4-1.
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USL First Division Stories from July 25, 2009
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