Sunday, June 16, 2013
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Rhinos played to a 1-1 draw with the Charleston Battery in a USL PRO regular season match at Sahlen's Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Rhinos midfielder Lance Rozeboom opened the scoring off a corner kick from left back Danny Earls in the first half. The Battery found the equalizer in the second half when center back Shawn Ferguson finished off an assist from Amadou Sanyang.
Neither side was able to create many chances in the early going, with the first good chance for the Rhinos arriving in the 27th minute as JC Banks played a ball over the top of the Battery back four to Tyler Rosenlund. The midfielder took the ball down the right side of the Battery penalty area to the goal line where he was tackled by Ferguson. Rosenlund went to ground, but match referee Steve Montanino had a good look at the play, and ruled that it was a Rhinos corner kick. Earls hit an inswinging corner kick that the Battery were able to clear over the goal line for another corner. On his second effort, Earls played a his corner kick to the near post, and Rozeboom beat the Battery defenders to the near post and touched Earls' service past Charleston goalkeeper Kevin Klasila for the opening goal.
The Battery found the equalizer in the 47th minute. Quinton Griffith had the ball with his back to goal 25 yards out when Rhinos idfielder Ross LaBauex was ruled to have fouled him. Sanyang whipped the ensuing free kick into the back post where Rhinos center back Troy Roberts headed the ball away. Robert's clearance found Battery midfielder Michael Azira on the left flank, and Azira took a touch before he served the ball back into the Rhinos box. Azira's service found Sanyang, making a run at the back post, and his header back in front of goal came to Ferguson, who finished past Rochester goalkeeper Kristian Nicht from six yards out.
The draw leaves the Charleston Battery level on points with the Richmond Kickers for third place. The point leaves Rochester in sole possession of 11th place in the USL PRO table – four points behind the Dayton Dutch Lions for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Dutch Lions host fifth place VSI Tampa Bay FC on Sunday night.
The Rochester Rhinos will host Antigua Barracuda FC in their next home match on Friday night at 7:35 p.m. at Sahlen's Stadium. Individual tickets are currently available, and they can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium, or by visiting ticketmaster.com. Individual tickets, group tickets and flex packages for the 2013 USL PRO season are also on sale now.