| June
12th,
2007: US Open Cup - First Round
Aegean Hawks FC - 0 vs. Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) - 4
(Harrisburg, PA, June 12,
2007)
The
Hawks traveled North to Harrisburg on a stormy June evening to
open up the team's first ever Open Cup tie against the Harrisburg
City
Islanders
of
the United Soccer League's Second Divsion. Hopes were high that
an upset was in the cards for the high-flying Hawks and that the
team would continue its winning ways in Harrisburg.
The Hawks entered the game with a 35-1-1 record in the last year
and full of confidence that an upset was attainable. The scouting
report was prepared, the players were all accounted for, and as
the team charter bus made it's way up Interstate 83, anticipation
brewed. What the Hawks
found in Harrisburg, however, was the confluence of a single-minded
opponent,
a poor pitch, and ill-timed electrical storms that all culminated
in the Hawks ouster by a 4-0 margin to a hungry and persistant
City Islanders side.
Blustery winds and occasionally
heavy rain conspired to make the game's early going more
than a little choppy, and lightning in the area around 7:30 resulted
in a delay of just over an hour and a half. Prior to the delay,
23 minutes were played which saw the Hawks absorb City Islanders'
initial pressure and counter with some key opportunities of their
own. In the 15th minute, Hawks striker Carlos Garcia's free kick
lightning strike clanked off the crossbar. In the subsequent
minutes, several more Hawks chances were generated by
exploiting the space in the Harrisburg flanks and sending crosses
into the City Islanders box. The Hawks momentum was stifled by
the weather delay and the lads sat an hour and a half inside
the locker room with doubts creeping in as to weather the match
would be played that evening. Harrisburg's front-office were
fantastic hosts, despite the fact that pizzas were brought
to the Aegean
Hawks
locker room during the delay (and to player/coach Jon Knight's
horror - some of the boys took down more than a slice just
before the restart). Savvy pros teaching the amateurs a small
lesson
in chicanery!
When play resumed close to 9:30, the teams
set out initially to regain their form. Harrisburg nearly took
the lead in the 31st minute when Brian Ombiji broke through the
defense only to have his one-on-one attempt stifled by Hawks keeper
Anthony Peters. Harrisburg's momentum started to press the Hawks
defensive corpos as the USL-2 team mercilessly executed on the
strengths of their 4-3-3 formation by sending long balls to criss-crossing
forwards that were somehow stifled by the Hawks defense.
Neither team mounted a decisive
attack before the end of the first half,
which
ended scoreless.
After
Harrisburg's
Chad Severs put a 20-yard drive directly on Peters in the 50th
minute,
Adam
Clay got the hosts their first score off a corner kick. In the
56th minute, Clay stretched to head a David Schofield corner kick
back
into
the goalmouth
and through Peters for a 1-0 Harrisburg lead. Harrisburg's Mo Oduor
upped the Islanders' advantage to 2-0 in the 68th when he
settled a pass from Ryan Pierce and thundered a 30-yard rip low
to Peters' right.
With the Hawks forced to throw numbers up, Harrisburg
continued to press their advantage and in the 69th minute, Schofield
made
it
3-0,
as the
midfielder
bent
a curling
25-yard
effort around Peters from the right wing.
The Hawks' best chance came in the 82nd minute,
when forward Watson Vaughan-Prather pounded a shot high from the
top of the penalty area. But Aegean Hawks FC would come no closer,
and when Steve Fisher finished Schofield's centering pass on
a counter attack in the 87th minute, the Islanders had sealed the
4-0 win.
All in all, it was a tough day for the Hawks but
valuable experience was gained for the squad that will certainly
pay dividends in future matches.
The team looks forward to the
USASA Region 1 finals on June 24th and their final regional obstacle
to USASA Nationals - Danbury United of Connecticut.
Danbury - a team of former Brazilian pros and local CT talent
that has professional aspirations - showed very well in their
Open Cup debut tonight, taking USL-2's Western Mass Pioneers (a
team
that
beat
Harrisburg
2-0
earlier
this season)
to double OT before falling by a score of 3-2. Of course, the
observers of the Open Cup are sure to perceive the Hawks as the
underdog in this Region 1 matchup due to tonight's scoreline. No
more motivation needed - bring on Danbury United.
Harrisburg 4, Aegean Hawks FC 0
Scoring: HAR Clay 1 (Schofield) 56',
HAR Oduor 1 (Pierce) 68', HAR Schofield 1 (Severs) 69',
HAR Fisher 1 (Schofield) 87'
Shots: AEG 3, HAR 17
Corners: AEG 7, HAR 7
Fouls: AEG 13, HAR 15
Cautions: AEG Bodiya 19', HAR Morman 28',
HAR Velten 64', HAR Pierce 67'
Goalkeepers: AEG Anthony Peters L, 0-1-0 (6
saves), HAR Dave Kern W, 1-0-0 (1 save)
Lineups: AEG Anthony Peters, Eddie Thurston,
Ricardo Valverde, Nick McMorris, Trevor Martin, Michael Goldman,
Justin Bodiya (Alex Nydal 70), Alan Golden (Robby Wright 69),
Watson Vaughan-Prather, Rich Ryan (Andreas Nydal 67), Carlos
Garcia (Geoff Thompson 69);
HAR Dave Kern, Ryan Pierce, Dustin Bixler, Tim Velten (Mike Lookingland 67),
Anthony Calvano, Chris Morman (Nate Baker 63), Mo Oduor, Adam Clay, David Schofield,
Brian Ombiji (Matt Tanzini 60), Chad Severs (Steve Fisher 70)
Attendance: 874
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