Low Lifts Carolina From Spot 20/05/07
The Carolina RailHawks recorded their first home regular season win in franchise history Saturday night by beating the Charleston Battery 1-0 in front of 4,462 fans at SAS Soccer Park in Cary. The lone goal of the night was a penalty kick converted by midfielder Kupono Low.
The match was a closely contested affair between clubs that were very close in the standings, with the RailHawks sitting in a tie for sixth and the Battery sitting only point behind in eighth. After the result was settled, the RailHawks find themselves in a tie for third place.
The opening moments of the match featured disorganized play in the back for the RailHawks, something the club has not had to deal with this season (the team has only allowed four goals in six games). The loss of central defender David Stokes led to changes in defensive positions for a unit that had been consistent all season. Left back Caleb Norkus was moved to the right side, while usual right back Frankie Sanfilippo was moved to the center. Joey Worthen was inserted at left back. Though the Battery did not create any early chances, the accuracy of passes in the back third prevented the RailHawks from developing any opportunities.
The tide turned in the 9th minute when midfielder Chris Carrieri created the first legitimate chance of the game when he beat his man in the corner, pulled the ball on to his left foot and fired a driven cross towards the penalty spot. Forward Kevin Jeffrey, making his first appearance for the RailHawks, headed the ball towards goal with power, but the shot went narrowly over the crossbar.
In the 39th minute, the RailHawks got on the scoreboard. Carrieri again dribbled down the sideline towards goal. As he was preparing to put the ball across the face of goal, Battery defender Tim Karalexis put his body into Carrieri’s and sent him sprawling to the grass. Referee Erich Simmons wasted no time in blowing his whistle and pointing towards the spot, indicating a penalty kick. Low confidently stepped up and put the ball to the side netting in the left side of goal, sending Battery goalie Dusty Hudock in the other direction.
In the second half, the teams again played close. In the 51st minute, Battery defender Lee Sandwina fired a shot along the ground towards goalkeeper Chris McClellan from 35 yards out. The shot initially looked harmless, but McClellan had to scramble to the far post before seeing the ball out for a goal kick.
Shortly thereafter, in the 54th minute, Battery defender Gordon Chin received a yellow card for his hard tackle on Low, which set off a scuffle between all the field players. There appeared to be punches thrown, but no one else was carded. The incident led to extra aggressive play by both teams throughout the rest of the game.
In the 67th minute, the RailHawks nearly added insurance to their slim lead. Midfielder Jonny Steele, in his first game back after a three week hiatus due to a hamstring injury, beat one defender and blasted a shot towards the far post. The shot looked to be on target, but Sandwina barely got a head on the ball, leading to a RailHawks corner kick.
The Battery almost equalized shortly thereafter with an odd man rush featuring midfielder Ian Bennett and forward Byron Alvarez. In the 76th minute, the Battery took advantage of a poor clearance and Bennett played ball towards the center where Alvarez barely put the ball over the net
Substitute Santiago Fusilier also nearly put the game away in stoppage time when he beat one defender and hit the ball with power, but the ball skimmed over the crossbar. The RailHawks lead was still slim, but the defense held on to preserve the win.
After the rough opening few minutes, the RailHawks defense put forth another outstanding effort by severely limiting Charleston chances. Center back Frankie Sanfilippo (playing out of his normal position) was an especially bright spot with his solid play. He stopped several potential scoring chances and made his presence felt while winning countless balls out of the air.
“Tonight was fantastic!” said RailHawks Head Coach Scott Schweitzer, “We showed the type of depth we have and the versatility of our players. The guys knew this was going to be a battle going in and showed that they can play different positions and bring the result home.”
“With David Stokes out, the backline had to work differently,” said RailHawks captain Frankie Sanfilippo, “Everybody stepped up today and it was a great win for us. This victory definitely puts us in great spirits as we prepare for our trip out west next week.”
Next for the RailHawks is a trip to the west coast, where the squad will play three games in five days. The team will first visit the Seattle Sounders on May 23, where they will look to extend their league winning streak two three, after starting the season 0-1-3. Matches against the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Portland Timbers follow on May 25 and May 27, respectively. The Carolina RailHawks will return home on June 8th when they will host the Rochester Rhinos in what will most definitely be another physical battle.
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