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USL Rochester Rhinos

Unbeaten Rhinos Top FC Montreal 2:1 Wednesday Night

July 8, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


ROCHESTER, NY - The Rochester Rhinos ran their unbeaten streak to sixteen matches after their 2:1 victory over FC Montréal on Wednesday, July 8th 2015. Colin Rolfe scored off of an assist from Tyler Rudy in the 15th minute, and Christian Volesky scored the match winning goal in the 32nd minute. Substitute Fredéríc Lajoie - Gravelle cut the home side's lead to one in the 85th minute, but FC Montréal was unable to find the equalizer. Rochester was forced to play a man down after New England Revs loanee Tyler Rudy was sent off for receiving his second yellow card in the 64th minute.

The match against FC Montréal was the Rhinos second of three in eight days, so head coach Bob Lilley rang in the changes to his starting line-up. Seven of the first 11 were different than the side that played second place Charleston Battery to a scoreless draw on Friday, July 3rd. Only left back Onua Thomas Obasi, center back Julian Ringhof, captain Tony Walls, and Rudy remained in Lilley's eleven.

The Rhinos got off to a quick start with two chances in the first three minutes of the match. Obasi intercepted a pass from FC Montréal right back Janouk Charbonneau on the left flank 35 yards out from the visitor's goal. Obasi took a touch and then played New England Revs loanee Timi Mulgrew in down the left flank. Mulgrew dribbled and got around the corner of FC Montréal's back four before playing a cross into the near post. Striker Colin Rolfe got on the end of Mulgrew's service, and flashed a header on goal only to be denied by the near post.

One minute later Mulgrew took a corner kick from the left corner. His out swinging service found the head of Ringhof ten yards out on the far post. Ringhof's header looped over FC Montréal goalkeeper David Paulmin's head, but was cleared off the line by Charbonneau.

The first major talking point of the match occurred in the 14th minute. Rochester Rhinos goalkeeper Adam Grinwis cleared a bouncing ball from the right side of his penalty box. Walls controlled Grinwis' clearance with his chest just inside the Rhinos half of the field, and switched the ball to Grinwis running down the left flank with his second touch. Grinwis and Charbonneau were racing for the loose ball when Paulmin came charging off of his line. Paulmin appeared to make contact with the ball with his left hand 30 yards off of his goal line, but definitely made contact with Mulgrew and Charbonneau as he knocked them both to the ground. Head referee Ernie Constantine booked Paulmin for the foul and awarded Rochester a free kick 30 yards out on the left flank.

Rudy took the ensuing free kick and served the ball into a crowded FC Montréal penalty area. The ball bounced over a pack of five players at the penalty spot, and fell to Rolfe at the six yard box in the middle of the goal. Rolfe struck a half volley past the diving Paulmin to open the scoring for the home side. It was Rolfe's second goal of the season.

FC Montréal had the opportunity to draw level in the 18th minute. Obasi turned the ball over just outside of his own penalty area under pressure from the visitor's right winger Fabio Morelli. Morelli played the ball forward to striker Charles Joly. Joly struck a bouncing ball from the top of the penalty area, but his volley was right at Grinwis.

Rochester doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute. FC Montréal center back Mélé Temguin played a curious back pass for his goalkeeper from the top of the visitor's penalty area that went awry. Rookie striker Christian Volesky pounced on the loose ball on the right side of FC Montréal's penalty area, and dribbled around Paulmin. Volesky cut in on the end line, and picked up his head. He used Mulgrew's run to the top of the six yard box as a decoy to draw Temguin and Charbonneau's attention before finishing into the goal from an acute angle. The goal was Volesky's sixth of the season, and fifth against FC Montréal.

Rochester had the first chance of the second half in the 51st minute. Rolfe got free on the right side of the FC Montréal penalty area, and served a cross into the visitor's box. Alex Dixon got on the end of Rolfe's service at the top of the six yard box, but directed his header directly at Paulmin.

FC Montréal had a quality chance to get a goal back in the 62nd minute. Substitute Lajoie - Gravelle received the ball at the top left corner of the Rhinos penalty area after a quality build-up from the visitors. Lajoie - Gravelle cut the ball in on his right foot before firing his shot from 18 yards out right at Grinwis.

Rochester was reduced to ten men in the 64th minute. Head referee Constantine judged that Rudy committed a foul on Marco Dominguez as the FC Montréal midfielder dribbled past him. Constantine let play continue before calling a foul on Rhinos center back Vassilis Apostolopoulos. After blowing the whistle on Apostolopoulos, Constantine called Rudy over and showed him a yellow card. Rudy had been previously booked in the 29th minute for a hard foul on Nazim Belguendouz, and Rudy was subsequently shown a red card by Constantine. Rochester was left to play the last 26 minutes of the match a man down.

FC Montréal used their man advantage to try to get back into the match. Morelli got free on the left flank, and played a tricky cross in on goal in the 66th minute. Grinwis used his footwork to get under the looping cross and extinguish the threat on his goal line. Two minutes later Zakaria Messoudi got a shot inside the Rhinos box that went just over the cross bar from 15 yards out.

FC Montréal gave the home side a warning in the 77th minute when Grinwis was forced to save Morelli's volley from 20 yards out, and after pressing for a goal FC Montréal finally broke through in the 85th minute. Charbonneau played a long ball from just inside his own half into the Rhinos penalty area. Substitute Victor Ndiaye was able to battle Apostolopoulos and Ringhof for the 50-50 ball before flicking the ball on to Lajoie - Gravelle. The FC Montréal front runner used the time and space he found in the penalty area to finish past Grinwis and into the upper left corner of the goal. It was only the sixth goal that Rochester had conceded in the 2015 USL season, and the first goal they had conceded in Sahlen's Stadium.

FC Montréal could not find the equalizer in the last five minutes of the match or four minutes of stoppage time.

Rochester remain in first place in USL Eastern Conference with 36 points. They lead second place Charleston Battery by five points and have a game in hand against the second place side. The Rhinos also continue to have the most points of any team in the 24 team USL.

The Rhinos next match is Saturday, July 11th at 3PM against Toronto FC II. The match can be seen live in its entirety via streaming video on Toronto FC II's YouTube channel.

The Rhinos return to Rochester in their next USL match on Saturday, July 18 th 2015 in Sahlen's Stadium at 7:05PM against Charlotte Independence. 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 July 8, 2015


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