Union Omaha Hard-Pressed to Find Offense in Loss to Hailstorm

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USL1 Union Omaha

Union Omaha Hard-Pressed to Find Offense in Loss to Hailstorm

July 22, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Union Omaha News Release


Windsor, Colo. - After a string of big wins, Union Omaha came back to earth with a damp squib of a loss to Northern Colorado Hailstorm.

Much like their prior match against Greenville Triumph, first place was on the line with a win, this time in Group C of the USL Jägermeister Cup. However, Billy King quickly put his side out in front, setting the tone for a frustrating match for the Owls.

"I think we lacked the aggression that you need to have with and without the ball, and the aggression that we look to play with," said Head Coach Dominic Casciato, going on to say it was something they would look to improve on for their return home.

By contrast, Hailstorm came out with their usual direct play, putting the Owls on the back foot from the get-go. While they ended the match with 42% possession, they consistently seemed to be the more dangerous team on the ball, and their 41.2% crossing accuracy on the night illustrated their ability to get into threatening positions.

Nine minutes in, that threat manifested into an early lead. A towering ball from the defense descended from the mesosphere onto a backpedaling Mechack Jérôme, who could only nod it down to Billy King. The midfielder displayed great composure to take it down, take it past the oncoming Luca Mastrantonio, and make no mistake from there for the opener.

It wasn't just in possession that Hailstorm menaced their visitors, either. Their pressure kept Union Omaha uncomfortable when trying to build up from the back, yet stayed compact when the Owls did advance forward to keep them from entering the penalty area with any sort of ease. While both teams put up 14 shots on the night, the more telling figure is this: ten of Northern Colorado's attempts came from inside the box, compared to only five for Omaha.

At the very least, they gained assurance on the ball after a long injury stoppage, with ever-present Hailstorm goalkeeper Lalo Delgado receiving treatment after Steevan Dos Santos collided with him. He had played every minute of the season for them up until then, but late in the match would need more medical attention to the point of being substituted off.

Despite the increased possession, though, the best chance of the half beyond the goal came in the 42nd minute for Hailstorm, when another move in transition saw Billy King whip in a ball that Wallis Lapsley had trouble corralling. However, the onrushing Jake Keegan fouled Lapsley as he pounced to clean it up, sparing Omaha the ignominy of a two-goal deficit at the half. Still, a tepid first 45 minutes (besides three yellow cards for the Owls) was disappointing to say the least.

After the break, both teams came out assured. Omaha got some more shots in, even if some were speculative efforts, while Billy King and Hailstorm carried over much of their first half momentum.

Nothing concrete arose until the 69th minute, though, when Northern Colorado properly doubled their advantage off a corner kick. The delivery went right into the six-yard box, where it pinballed around until Brecc Evans headed it home.

Union Omaha scratched and clawed from there, but Hailstorm's pressing held up throughout the match, keeping them at arm's length for much of the remaining time.

Their biggest chance of the night was too little too late, with second-half sub Lagos Kunga doing what he did best. Namely, putting scorch marks in the grass as he blazed through the center of the defense, before his shot was parried aside by substitute goalkeeper Russell Shealy.

The loss essentially clinches Group C for Hailstorm, giving them a five point advantage in their Jägermeister Cup group with two matches left. Union Omaha is still in the driver's seat for the wild card spot despite being shut out in Windsor, holding a four-goal cushion on Charlotte and Lexington. Their next cup match will be at Central Valley Fuego FC on Friday, August 9th.

This concludes their roadtrip on a rather dour note, after building momentum the previous few matches. Union Omaha will return home to Werner Park on Saturday, July 27th with another match against Chattanooga Red Wolves, which will be Women's Sports Night. Players from Nebraska Fierce and 2024 PVF Champion Omaha Supernovas will be in attendance, signing autographs and partaking in a halftime contest as well. This match is backed up the next week by August 3rd's rematch against Forward Madison, with our second Special Olympics Unified Series match, presented by Leonard Management, immediately following it.

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