Harrisburg City Islanders News Release - www.cityislanders.com
Saturday, May, 14, 2011
HARRISBURG, Penn. - The Harrisburg City Islanders tied the top team in the USL PRO, the Richmond Kickers, 1-1 at Skyline Sports Complex on Saturday night. Nelson Becerra converted his first goal of the season in the 56th minute but Richmond’s Shaka Bangura would spoil the fun for the City Islanders in the 82nd minute, tying the game 1-1.
The first half of the match was very uneventful. The first goal-scoring opportunity came in the 9th minute as Richmond’s Ryan Heins dribbled the ball within the City Islanders’ box, cut towards the middle and bent a shot with his right foot straight to Islanders’ goalkeeper Chase Harrison. In the 11th minute, Kickers midfielder Gerson dos Santos was tackled from behind by Islanders’ midfielder Jason Pelletier, earning the game’s first yellow card. Forward David Bulow would substitute for the injured dos Santos in the 16th minute.
The game would remain slow, both teams exchanging possessions, but momentum would peak towards the end of the first half. Richmond’s David Bulow received a long ball in the box from his backline, launching a sky rocket, missing the goal. Richmond would return with a 35 yard blast in the 42nd minute from defender Luke Vercollone, but missed wide.
In the second half, the City Islanders began the pressure with forward Jose Angulo blasting a right foot shot from 40 yards out, just a tad high of the goal. In the 54th minute, Luke Vercollone of the Richmond Kickers held onto Angulo inside the box on a free-kick cross, resulting in a penalty kick. Nelson Becerra made no mistake with the spot kick, putting it past Richmond goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale for the 1-0 lead. It was Becerra’s first goal of the season.
But that wouldn’t stop Richmond. Two minutes later, on a corner kick, Kickers midfielder Stanley Nyazamba bent the ball with his right foot to the goal, challenging Chase Harrison for the save. Violence broke out in the 64th minute as Nelson Becerra tackled Richmond’s David Hertel late. Richmond’s Edson Elcock ran towards Becerra, pushing the Islanders’ Brian Ombiji down to the ground, receiving a red card. The Kickers would come through in the 82nd minute as Shaka Bangura scored the game tying goal off of a header by Matthew Delicâte.
The City Islanders’ next home game of the season is scheduled for 3:00pm next Sunday, May, 22 at Skyline Sports Complex on City Island against Orlando City. For more information on the City Islanders, or to order tickets, contact the team at 717-441-GOAL, or visit www.cityislanders.com.