Friday, July 27, 2012
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Eagles took a 1-0 victory against the Richmond Kickers on Saturday night as Daryl Roberts scored late on at Charlotte Christian Stadium. The victory allowed the Eagles to pull even with the Kickers on points for the sixth and final playoff berth ahead of the second game of the home-and-home weekend series on Saturday night at Richmond's City Stadium.
Threatening throughout the match, Roberts broke the ice 10 minutes from full time when he connected on a Mark Bloom cross. Winning the ball in the air, his well-placed header snuck just inside the far post and narrowly avoided the outstretched fingertips of Kickers goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale.
The match remained scoreless throughout the first half as both the Kickers and the Eagles saw their best chances of the half fall by the wayside within the last 10 minutes.
Nate Thornton threatened several times for the Eagles throughout the first half, but it was not until the 35th minute that he nearly gave his side the lead. Battling for the ball deep on the right wing, he sliced a dangerous cross through the box, hoping to connect with an onrushing Roberts, but his well-timed ball was just inches out of reach. Seconds later, midfielder Juan Guzman played a short corner back to the top of the penalty area, finding Roberts who rocketed a blast on target and forced Pascale to stretch to bat the ball back into the mix. Thornton lined up the rebound, but his close-range shot was deflected wide.
After failing to capitalize on a free kick from prime scoring position at the top of the box earlier in the half, Chris Agorsor ran onto a long ball by Sascha Görres and broke free from several defenders. He slotted a swift cross through the crowded box to Ryan Heins but his one-time strike was smothered by a well-positioned Eric Reed in the 44th minute.
The Kickers opened the second half when Gerson Dos Santos lofted a dangerous free kick into the box and a courtesy of a poor Eagles clearance, the rebound fell to Gorres on the right wing. The German midfielder switched the ball back across the field to Dos Santos who delivered the ball into the mix once more, connecting with William Yomby only to have his point blank header glance just over the crossbar.
Later, Gorres played Elcock free on the right flank and the speedy winger eluded defenders and sliced through the box. He slotted the ball across to Heins who forced Reed to reach to tip his 65th minute shot over the bar.
After Roberts gave the home side the advantage, the Kickers pressed forward and were awarded a last-second corner kick when Mike Burke’s shot was blocked by an Eagles defender, but they could not capitalize on the opportunity to level the score, giving Charlotte the full three points.
The Kickers and the Eagles will both travel to Richmond overnight to close out their back-to-back home and away series at Richmond City Stadium on Saturday night. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.