Harrisburg City Islanders News Release -- www.cityislanders.com
Saturday, July 23, 2011
HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Harrisburg City Islanders tied the Los Angeles Blues on Saturday night in a captivating and physical 1-1 draw in front of 1,393 fans at Skyline Sports Complex on City Island. Midfielder Jason Pelletier scored his first goal of the season in the 19th minute but it wasn’t enough for the win as Blues midfielder Cesar Rivera scored his seventh goal of the season in the 43rd minute to earn Los Angeles a tie.
The Blues tried for goal first as Jonathon de Leon set himself up for the right-footed shot from the right flank, but just missed the goal wide left. The City Islanders would take advantage of a 45-yard free kick in the 19th minute as Jason Pelletier scored his first goal of the season from the free kick mark. The goal was originally credited to defender Andrew Marshall but upon review, Marshall did not touch the ball.
City Islanders midfielder Nelson Becerra would attempt to add his name on the score sheet in the 33rd minute as he cranked a left-footed shot from the top left corner of the box, but Los Angeles goalkeeper Oscar Dautt made the save. Rivera then found the equalizer for the Blues, scoring his seventh goal of the season as he received the ball from forward Peter Byers in the 43rd minute. Rivera received the ball inches from the goal line and slid the shot past City Islanders goalkeeper Chase Harrison at his near post to tie the match.
The City Islanders pushed forward after the break, and Sainey Touray would take a crack at goal in the 63rd minute, receiving a beautifully played ball from Pelletier, only to hit the cross bar. As the second half progressed, the physicality increased as Los Angeles' Gerardo Bravo and Byers received yellow and red cards in the 63rd and 65th minutes, respectively. In the 72nd minute Blues substitute Carlos Borja tried for his first goal of the season with a right footed shot from the left flank but it was just barely too high right. The City Islanders would show life in stoppage time as forward Jose Angulo served a ball to Touray to set him up one-on-one with Dautt but his chip was too high for the goal. The Angulo-Touray connection would attempt at goal again just seconds later with an Angulo cross and Touray header, but Dautt was there for the save.
In the final moments of the game, Pelletier struck the ball from the corner flat to defender Anthony Calvano’s head, but the ball was cleared off the line by the Blues’ backline, leaving the game tied. It was the City Islanders’ league-high sixth tie of the season, leaving them back three points behind from National Division leader the Rochester Rhinos. The Blues remain in third place of the National Division, six points behind the Rhinos and three points behind the City Islanders.
The City Islanders’ next home game of the season is scheduled for 7 p.m. this Saturday, July, 30th at Skyline Sports Complex on City Island against the Wilmington Hammerheads. Fans will receive a FREE light bulb courtesy of PPL. There will be a Soccer Shots Global Goals clinic at 10 a.m. Also, there will be a silent auction to benefit Global Goals. Preschool night starts at 5:30 p.m., includes spinning art, wheel games, soccer tattoos, face painting, Jumping Jungle and more. All clinic participants will enjoy a halftime contest.
For more information on the City Islanders, or to order tickets, contact the team at 717-441-GOAL, or visit www.cityislanders.com.