Wolves Are Back Home After Hard-Fought Road Game
April 26, 2013 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix FC News Release
PHOENIX, AZ (April 26, 2013) - Phoenix FC returns home to Tempe this Sunday night to host the Wilmington Hammerheads for a 7:30pm match at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. The Wolves earned a point this week, playing to a scoreless tie against Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake Reserves at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, UT, on Monday night. The match was highlighted by a brawl in first half stoppage play that drew red cards for starting goalkeeper Andrew Weber and defenseman Renan Felipe Boufleur, both of whom will be ineligible this week because of the penalties.
Phoenix FC is 1-3-1 after Monday night's match. Backup goalkeeper Sheldon Parkinson played a standout game in Utah, coming in for the ejected Weber and holding Real Salt Lake scoreless. Parkinson withstood a second half attack from Real Salt Lake's offense, which had a one-player advantage following the first half melee. The experience and playing time was invaluable for Parkinson, who gave up three goals to the Los Angeles Blues in his only prior appearance of the season on April 14, and the momentum of his breakthrough performance looks to carry over for the Wilmington matchup.
Wilmington returns a number of players from last year's squad, which made it to the USL PRO Championship game before losing to Charleston Battery by a score of 1-0. The Hammerheads are anchored by a pair of experienced midfielders in William Heaney and Aaron Patrick, with former Seattle Sounders defenseman Daniel Steres holding down the defense.
In its first match of the season, Wilmington enjoyed a 2-0 home victory against the Antigua Barracudas. Forward Kyle Greig scored the first goal in his professional debut for the Hammerheads, while midfielder Paul Nicholson added a second to put the game away. After one game, Greig leads the team with five shots and one goal. Goalkeeper Philip Tuttle, who last year played with USL PRO's Harrisburg City Islanders, posted his first shutout of the season.
Wilmington plays the Los Angeles Blues this Friday night, April 26 in Fullerton, CA, before traveling for the match against Phoenix FC.
Phoenix FC and the Wilmington Hammerheads will meet for the return match when the Wolves travel to North Carolina on June 1 at Legion Stadium.
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United Soccer League Championship Stories from April 26, 2013
- Rhinos Travel to Harrisburg to Play the City Islanders - Rochester Rhinos
- Riverhounds Still Winless - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- Eagles Beat Pittsburgh 2-0 - Charlotte Eagles
- Wolves Are Back Home After Hard-Fought Road Game - Phoenix FC
- Kickers Host Fiesta Latina May 4 - Richmond Kickers
- Riverhounds Travel for Two Games in the Carolinas - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- Eagles Add Jorge Herrera - Charlotte Eagles
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