USL PRO Game Report
Thursday, May 8, 2014
IRVINE, Calif. – The Charlotte Eagles ended their three-game west coast road trip on a positive note as they took a 2-0 victory against the Orange County Blues on Thursday night at Anteater Stadium. Drew Yates and Ben Newnam scored either side of halftime for the Eagles, who handed the Blues a third consecutive defeat.
The Blues started the brighter of the two sides getting forward, but created few chances, with Chris Cortez's early header easily saved by Eagles goalkeeper Brock Duckworth. Charlotte grew into the game and took the lead in the 33rd minute as Yates turned inside at the top of the penalty area and smashed the ball into the left corner of the net beyond Orange County goalkeeper, Patrick Mclain.
Blues Head Coach Daryoush Yazdani rang in the changes either side of halftime. Four changes were made before the 48th minute as Gibson Bardsley, Gabriel Gonzalez, Cesar Rivera and Jiovanni Santana breathed new life into the Blues’ attack. Just as the Blues looked the more likely side to get back on level terms, however, Newnam curled in a wonder-strike against the run of play in the 58th minute. Newnam hit his finish first-time from the left corner of the penalty area, and it looped into the right corner of the net.
The Blues continued to push numbers forward to try and get back into the game, but the Eagles remained compact in defense and were able to see out the match as Duckworth recorded his second shutout of the season.
The Eagles will next return home to host the PDL's Carolina Dynamo in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup next Wednesday night at the Queens Sports Complex. The Blues will head to the midwest to take on OKC Energy FC on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET, and then return home to face the PDL's Fresno Fuego in the Open Cup, also on Wednesday night.