CARY, N.C. – The Carolina RailHawks have been rewriting
the club record book all season, but they earned a new distinction Saturday
night that they surely could have done without.
Falling 2-1 to the Puerto Rico Islanders at WakeMed
Soccer Park marks the first time the RailHawks have ever lost a league match in
which they scored the game’s first goal. Prior to Saturday, the RailHawks were
24-0-9 in such games.
Amir Lowery gave the RailHawks a 1-0 lead in the 40th
minute. But Puerto Rico’s Jonny Steele, a former RailHawk, equalized two
minutes later, and Peter Villegas scored the game winner for the visitors in
the 63rd minute.
The result, which leaves the RailHawks winless over their
last five (0-3-2), was particularly galling because a win would have put them
atop the USL-1 table with Charleston. Instead, the loss leaves the RailHawks (7-4-3,
24 points) in third place and they could drop to fourth, depending on the
result from Sunday evening’s Portland-Montreal match.
“We’re in a little bit of a bad run right now,” said
Carolina coach Martin Rennie. “Every team has a run where they don’t do their
best. Tonight, we played O.K. at times, but we weren’t at our best. And when
you’re not at your best in this league, you’re going to lose or you’re at least
not going to win. When you get in a bad run, you just have to take stock and
get your sleeves rolled up and get out of it. That’s what we have to work toward.
We’re in a good position, but we’re in a slump we need to get out of.”
Lowery’s strike makes him the 12th different
RailHawk to score this season. It was just the second goal the RailHawks have
scored against the Islanders in six meetings and first since July 22, 2007,
ending a streak of 361 minutes without a goal against Puerto Rico.
The RailHawks outshot Puerto Rico (8-4-4) 14-11, but
Islanders goalkeeper Bill Gaudette turned in an eight-save effort – pushing his
league-leading save total to 72 – to deny the RailHawks their first ever win
over the Islanders. Puerto Rico now owns a 5-0-1 mark in the series.
In the fifth minute, Carolina’s John Cunliffe
manufactured a look at the goal with some clever footwork. His strike from 18
yards caught Gaudette off guard, but he recovered nicely and tipped the ball
over the crossbar.
In the 18th minute, Cunliffe served a ball
over the Puerto Rico defense to Gavin Glinton. Glinton was sandwiched by two defenders
as he broke in on goal, and Gaudette came off his line and snuffed out the
chance.
Puerto Rico had its first chance on a 13th
minute corner kick. Villegas served the ball in and Cristian Arrieta flicked it
toward the goal, but Carolina goalkeeper Caleb Patterson (four saves) smothered
it for his first save of the match.
While the next 30 minutes lacked little excitement, the
teams packed plenty into the first half’s final five.
In the 40th minute, Lowery found a loose ball
at his foot from eight yards out following a Mark Schulte throw-in, and he
hammered a shot past Gaudette.
“I usually jump for the first ball and try and flick it
on to the back post,” Lowery said. “The throw went over my head. And as I
turned, it deflected off one of their guys. It sat up nicely for me and I just
hit it.”
It was also the first goal Lowery has scored during his
five-year professional career.
“It happened so quick. I was super excited,” Lowery said.
“But it’s tough to score it in a loss.”
And that elation was shortlived.
Two minutes later, Puerto Rico’s Steele spotted Arrieta unmarked
on a free kick from 30 yards, but Arrieta’s half-volley from 12 yards hit the
post. Seconds later, though, Steele jumped on a loose ball in the box and
knocked it by Patterson to even the match at 1-1.
Carolina nearly went ahead just before halftime. Daniel
Paladini hit a curling 25-yard free kick over Puerto Rico’s five-man wall, but
his shot crashed off the post – the fifth time this season Paladini’s found the
woodwork.
When the Islanders got their next chance, they capitalized.
On a free kick from 30 yards, Steele served the ball to the back post. Arrieta
brought it down and fired a shot on goal. Patterson made the initial save, but
the rebound went into the middle of the area, and Villegas belted it in.
Opportunities were scarce for the RailHawks in the second
half, but Lowery nearly doubled his pleasure in stoppage time. Following a
Schulte throw-in, the ball again found its way to Lowery’s foot. But his
left-footed try from 12 yards was saved.
“As I turned, I thought I wouldn’t have that much time,”
Lowery said. “I could have settled myself and gotten a better look.”
The RailHawks will step out of league play for a pair of
friendlies next week. On Tuesday, they will face the Panama National Team at
WakeMed Soccer Park at 7 p.m., and the match will serve as one last tune-up for
Panama before it begins play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Also, on July 3, the
RailHawks will meet the Wilmington Hammerheads at WakeMed Soccer Park at 7 p.m.
They will return to USL-1 play on July 11, when they travel to Charleston.
LINEUPS
PR: GK
Bill Gaudette, D Kevon Villaroel, D Nigel Henry, D John Krause, D Cristian
Arrieta, M Domenic Mediate (Kyle Veris, 76th), M James Marcelin, M
Jonny Steele (Fabrice Noel, 88th), M Peter Villegas (Nicolas
Addlery, 66th), F Sean Fraser (Josh Hansen, 60th), F
Kendall Jagdeosingh (Sandi Gbandi, 81st) CAR: GK Caleb Patterson, D Kupono
Low (Caleb Norkus, 88th), D Jeremy Tolleson, D Brad Rusin, D Mark
Schulte, M Amir Lowery, M Daniel Paladini, M Josh Gardner (Joseph Kabwe, 75th),
M Matt Watson, F Gavin Glinton (Hamed Diallo, 74th), F John Cunliffe
SCORING
SUMMARY
CAR: Amir Lowery, 40th
PR: Jonny Steele, 42nd
PR: Peter Villegas, 64th
CAUTIONS
PR: John Krause, 45th, 85th; James
Marcelin, 68th CAR: Amir Lowery, 46th
