Friday, May 4, 2012
FULLERTON, Calif. – The Los Angeles Blues registered their first win of the 2012 USL PRO season on Friday night by defeating the visiting Wilmington Hammerheads 2-1 behind goals from Matt Fondy and Allan Russell. Bryce Taylor gave the Hammerheads the lead late in the first half, but the hosts did well to bounce back with two strikes in a nine-minute span after the break.
The Blues created the first big opportunity of the evening, Fondy running on to a well-threaded 25th-minute through ball and finding himself one-on-one with Alex Horwath. The former New York Red Bulls goalkeeper did an excellent job of sprinting off his line and throwing himself into the striker’s attempt to keep the sides level.
The Hammerheads would take the lead against the run of play five minutes from halftime. A clearance by Cory Miller was headed straight back into the area and saw players from both teams scrambling for the ball inside the six-yard box. Former Blues striker Chukwudi Chijindu succeeded in poking it to the feet of Bryce Taylor, who had an easy tap-in past Blues goalkeeper Amir Abedzadeh.
The hosts had a golden chance to tie things up in first-half stoppage time, South Korean Sun-Hyung Cho releasing a left-footed blast from well outside the area that had Horwath beaten but whistled just wide of the left upright.
The Blues did find the equalizer less than four minutes after the interval. Russell picked out Fondy with a long ball into the attacking third and the California native did well to muscle off Tyler Lassiter and slot past the onrushing Horwath for a well-worked goal. Visibly energized, Blues coach Charlie Naimo’s men continued to put pressure on the opposing backline, and they would be rewarded three minutes before the hour mark as a hand ball inside the Hammerheads’ penalty area saw Russell step up to the spot and send a determined finish past the outstretched Horwath and inside the post for the go-ahead goal.
The hosts very nearly made it 3-1 in the 71st minute as Russell looked to add his second assist of the match with another precise long ball over the top of the defense, Fondy once again muscling off a defender and testing Horwath with a powerful effort from close range. The rebound fell right to the feet of midfielder Carlos Borja, who took a hard shot of his own, but only to see another strong block by the Wilmington netminder.
The Hammerheads had a chance to equalize in stoppage time, but Taylor saw his close-range effort deflected by a Blues defender and roll just wide of the far post as the home side held on for a hard-fought victory and their first three points of the young USL PRO campaign.
The Blues will try to register a second consecutive win in Sunday’s rematch with Wilmington at Fullerton’s Titan Stadium. Tickets for the 5 p.m. PT clash start at $10 and may be purchased by calling 714-738-8011 or visiting http://lablues.ticketfly.com.