USL PRO Game Report
Friday, May 30, 2014
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Rhinos played to a 0-0 draw with the Richmond Kickers in Sahlen's Stadium on Friday night. Rochester rookie goalkeeper John McCarthy made two saves, as did the Kickers' Joe Willis as defenses held sway throughout the 90 minutes.
The first scoring opportunity arrived in the 14th minute when Kickers striker Matthew Delicate was fouled near the midfield stripe. Midfielder Michael Callahan took the ensuing free kick and found the head of center back William Yomby 12 yards out on the left side of the Rhinos penalty area, and the defender directed his header toward goal, only for his effort to be blocked down at the top of the six-yard box. George Davis IV was the first to the bouncing ball and he put his shot on target, but McCarthy dove to his right to parry the ball around the right post for a corner kick. Davis IV had a second chance on the ensuing corner kick when his shot deflected on its way to goal, but McCarthy was able to get to the rebound.
In the 31st minute the Rhinos had their first chance of the match. After a spell of possession, captain Tyler Rosenlund tracked down a through-ball on the right side of the Kickers' penalty area. Rosenlund held up the ball before passing it out to Alec Sundly, who was supporting Rosenlund on the right flank. Sundly received the ball and then whipped a cross into the penalty area where he found the head of Minh Vu. The rookie tried to put his header on target but his effort flashed over the crossbar after Willis came off of his line to challenge.
Banks controlled a corner kick that the Kickers had cleared from their penalty area on the right flank just before the hour-mark. Banks served the ball back into the Kickers penalty area, but center back Hugh Douglas was there to head the ball away. Douglas' clearance only made it as far as Donnie Smith, who shot the ball through traffic from 16 yards out, but the effort was right at Willis, who was able to parry the shot. The Kickers scrambled the ball away, but only as far as Rochester's Lance Rozeboom at the top of the penalty area, but the midfielder put his effort over the crossbar for a goal kick.
In the 61st minute right back Pat McMahon stepped into midfield to intercept a Kickers pass, and immediately played the ball to Banks in the middle of the park 30 yards from Richmond's goal. Banks dribbled to the top of the penalty area and hit a shot on goal, but it was easily held by Willis.
The Kickers responded with a free kick opportunity four minutes later. Callahan served a free kick from just inside the Rhinos' half of the field on the right flank. Callahan's service found Douglas on the right side of Rochester's penalty area 16 yards from goal, and the defender put a looping header on target that McCarthy had to back peddle under before he tipped the ball over the bar. McCarthy punched away the service into the six-yard box on the ensuing corner kick.
After the Rhinos took four corners in quick succession the Kickers had the next chance in the 80th minute. Shay Spitz found a lane through the Rhinos' midfield that he used to get within 25 yards of goal before he hit a shot. The shot quickly deflected off a Rhinos defender, wrong-footing McCarthy in the Rhinos' goal before it looped harmlessly over the crossbar for a goal kick.
Richmond got a chance on the the counter-attack four minutes later as Callahan had the ball tackled away from behind by a recovery run and slide tackle from Rochester substitute Alex Dixon 40 yards out from goal. However the loose ball found the feet of Davis, who played a one-two with substitute Tishan Hanley at the top of the box that put Davis through into the Rhinos penalty area. Davis put his shot into the side netting for a goal kick.
One minute later substitute Colin Rolfe had a chance at the other end for the Rhinos with his first touch after coming on. Fellow substitute Johnny Mendoza served a cross into the far post where Rolfe headed his effort just over the cross bar for a goal kick.
McCarthy now has a 3-0-3 record in his six league starts with one goal conceded and five shutouts. McCarthy leads USL PRO in both goals against average (0.167) and clean sheets. As a team the Rhinos maintained the league's second-best record in goals conceded and have only allowed four goals in their last nine league matches.
The Rhinos' next home match is on Saturday, June 7th at 7:05PM against the visiting Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Tickets for any match on the Rhinos' home schedule will be available by by calling (585) 454-KICK (5425), by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium, or by visiting ticketmaster.com. Rochester Rhinos season tickets, flex packages and group ticket sales are also currently available.