USL-1 North Carolina FC

Two late goals lift Carolina over Cleveland, back into first place

August 8, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
North Carolina FC News Release


CARY, N.C. - For a while, it didn't look like it was going to happen for the Carolina RailHawks on Saturday night.

But much like the last time the RailHawks played the Cleveland City Stars at WakeMed Soccer Park, it came together late. Gregory Richardson scored the game's first goal in the 82nd minute and Daniel Paladini tacked one on in extra time to give the RailHawks a 2-0 win that puts them back to the top of the USL First Division table.

"The way they play, unless you score early, it can be a long night," said Carolina coach Marin Rennie. "But you have to keep going and going. Our fitness level's really good, but also, our expectations and belief are really high. I think we go into games expecting we're going to win and we believe we're going to win. Even if it's not happening, we still believe we're going to win, and that's a great characteristic to have in a team."

The win is Carolina's fourth straight and puts the RailHawks (13-5-3, 42 points) one point ahead of Charleston and three ahead of Portland. However, those two teams meet later Saturday night in Portland, so the Timbers can join the RailHawks at the top of the table with a win, or the Battery can move back into first place with a win or tie.

Saturday's win was also the RailHawks' fourth straight shutout, and they've run their scoreless streak to 400 minutes. Eric Reed got the clean sheet against the City Stars (2-13-7) after making two saves.

The RailHawks came out flat and played a rather sedate first half. With the City Stars sitting behind the ball and reluctant to go forward, Carolina couldn't find a way to break down one the league's most porous defenses (37 goals allowed in 22 games).

"At halftime, I really wasn't happy," Rennie said. "The first half was one of the most disappointing I've coached since I've been here. The guys responded in the second half. What you have to realize is when the tempo is slow, it's really hard to change it. But to do it, which we did, that shows a lot of character."

While the first half was sluggish, the RailHawks had a pair of chances to open the scoring. In the 30th minute, Joseph Kabwe tried to take a shot from the top of the penalty area, but he was tackled off the ball as he wound up to strike it. The ball squirted through the box to Sallieu Bundu, and he touched it by Cleveland goalkeeper Evan Bush and flung it toward the goal. But City Stars defender Troy Roberts was sitting on the near post, and he cleared it off the line.

Just before halftime, Brian Plotkin intercepted a pass near midfield and led a counterattack toward the Cleveland goal. He spotted Richardson streaking down the left side and played him into space. Richardson carried the ball into the penalty area only to see Bush turn away his try from 10 yards out.

"We came out a little bit flat in the first half and I was disappointed with that," said Carolina defender Mark Schulte. "Second half, we took it to them a little bit more and got those two late goals. There's been a fair amount of games where we've had late goals, and we have that belief that no matter what happens, we're going to come through."

The RailHawks started getting forward more in the second half, but it wasn't until Cleveland ‘s Alioune Gueye was red carded in the 76th minute that the chances really started coming.

Four minutes after Gueye was sent off, Richardson played Andriy Budnyy into the box. Bush charged off his line and saved Budnyy's shot, but Richardson followed up the rebound, tackled the ball away from a defender, then hammered a shot from 20 yards past Bush.

"It was a good goal," Richardson said. "For me, I passed the ball then got to the deflection, the guy is slow so I tried to come at him, and as soon as I came at him I hit it and I was able to score from there. It was a good goal, good timing. Good goal for getting the lead, especially for the team."

In the 90th minute, Richardson took a shot from 20 yards that Bush saved initially, but he bobbled it and Paladini jumped on the loose ball and tucked it into the goal.

"I knew Gregory was going to hit it and I basically just followed the bounce," Paladini said. "He did most of the work. I just tapped it in."

The RailHawks have a week off before their next flurry of games, which will have the RailHawks play three times in eight days. They will travel to Vancouver to face the Whitecaps on Aug. 15, then return to WakeMed Soccer Park to meet the Whitecaps again on Aug. 18 before going to Rochester to face the Rhinos on Aug. 22.

"Things are good and we can relax a little for a day or two and then starting going again," Rennie said.

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USL First Division Stories from August 8, 2009


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