- No red cards or injuries, and if anybody has any minor knocks, they can be healed up during this two week break we will have here.
- It's nice to see Andrew Dykstra back in goal after missing about 80% of this season. It will be interesting to see who gets the gloves for the match against Dayton on the 17th.
- Dane Kelly is playing very well. Even though I didn't see either match, I can tell that Kelly is getting forward and getting more chances as he has in the past month or so. The goals will start falling here for Kelly and we could see him be a prolific scorer in the second half of the season.
Showing posts with label FC New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FC New York. Show all posts
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Recap: FC New York and Harrisburg Matches
Alright I hate to do his again, but I didn't see either of the matches, so there's not much I can really comment on. So here are the recaps from the Battery's website: Harrisburg FCNY. Here are a few of my thoughts:
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Charleston Heads North for Two Weekend Matches
The Battery will once again head north for two matches in two days. They'll start with FC New York on Friday night, followed by a match with Harrisburg on Saturday night.
FC New York:
This Season: The expansion side started out slowly, earning only 5 points in its first seven matches, but they have been hot of late, earning a 2-2 draw at Richmond, and a 2-1 home win over Rochester.
Who's Playing Big: Graciano Brito leads New York in goals with 4, besides that no one has more than 1. Besides that there's not a lot of bright spots.
Who Needs to Step Up: The back line isn't giving the goalkeeping committee (FC New York has featured 4 men between the posts), much help, and the team has given up 14 goals in the nine matches they have played.
Harrisburg City Islanders:
This Season: The City Islanders have earned only eight points in their first seven matches, leaving them in fifth place in the National Division, but they have played at least two less games than every team above them.
Who's Playing Big: Jose Angulo is their leading scorer with 4 goals, and he also has dealed out 1 assist. He has also taken 26 shots, which is only eight less than the rest of the team combined.
Who Needs to Step Up: The team is clicking well of late, and the lack of points is a little misleading, since they have faced their toughest bit of schedule that they will face this year. A 4-2 win over rival Pittsburgh on Tuesday helps too.
What to Expect:
You would think that the Battery's good form of late would make predicting the Starting XI easy, but its not:
FC New York:
This Season: The expansion side started out slowly, earning only 5 points in its first seven matches, but they have been hot of late, earning a 2-2 draw at Richmond, and a 2-1 home win over Rochester.
Who's Playing Big: Graciano Brito leads New York in goals with 4, besides that no one has more than 1. Besides that there's not a lot of bright spots.
Who Needs to Step Up: The back line isn't giving the goalkeeping committee (FC New York has featured 4 men between the posts), much help, and the team has given up 14 goals in the nine matches they have played.
Harrisburg City Islanders:
This Season: The City Islanders have earned only eight points in their first seven matches, leaving them in fifth place in the National Division, but they have played at least two less games than every team above them.
Who's Playing Big: Jose Angulo is their leading scorer with 4 goals, and he also has dealed out 1 assist. He has also taken 26 shots, which is only eight less than the rest of the team combined.
Who Needs to Step Up: The team is clicking well of late, and the lack of points is a little misleading, since they have faced their toughest bit of schedule that they will face this year. A 4-2 win over rival Pittsburgh on Tuesday helps too.
What to Expect:
You would think that the Battery's good form of late would make predicting the Starting XI easy, but its not:
Wiggans/Dykstra
Marples Falvey Wilson Zaher
Paterson Taylor Mack Armstrong
Coleman Bah/Kelly
Andrew Dykstra will be returning for this weekend's set of matches, but I could easily see Keith Wiggans starting one, with Dykstra starting the other.
The back should still be steady with the usual boys as the Battery's last line of defense. No red card's to prevent any defenders from taking the field in this match.
The midfield is playing well lately, last week's game-winning goalscorer Nicki Paterson should get the nod along with Evan Taylor, JC Mack, and Stephen Armstrong.
Levi Coleman will play up front for at least one full match, along with Seedy Bah getting a start on Friday night while Dane Kelly sits out after that red card against Harrisburg last Saturday. Kelly will be able to face the team that put him out for a match on Saturday though.
Firday night's match with FC New York will be broadcast on 1340 AM in the Charleston area, and Saturday night's fixture with the City Islanders will be available on USL Live.
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Saturday, May 14, 2011
Battery's Scorless Streak Stretches to 405 Minutes in a Loss to FCNY
Last night, the Battery faced the expansion FC New York in front of 3,328. Up to that point New York had earned two points in 4 matches, had scored just 2 goals, and had earned a fifth place spot in the National Division. The Battery, who hadn't scored a goal in 3 matches, but hadn't lost a home match since the 2009 season would host them.
When you look at it that way it looks pretty even. One team that's apparently not very good, and one team that's been struggling. Seems like a fair fight to me.
But let's be honest, everyone and their grandma expected the Battery to win this. Even I, maybe the most critical person of all, suspected that the Battery were just in a bit of a slump. But this is not so.
Now its not time to panic yet, that's not what I'm saying. All I'm saying is that the Battery aren't as good as many, including myself, thought. There are some good pieces, Armstrong, Dykstra, Wilson, etc., and I do believe that they will make the playoffs, maybe they won't finish first or second, but they'll make it.
The point is, the Battery won't be winning by any huge margins, or going on a road trip and cleaning house, or having the league's leading scorer. None of that is going to happen.
What we will see for the rest of the season, is a team that will fight as hard as it can to find itself, find a scorer, and find some points.
Anyway onto last night's match. By the way I wrote the series of paragraphs above, you should realize that the match did not go in the Battery's favor.
The match started out well enough, defenders Marples and Falvey had a couple of chances in the first 30 minutes, and we saw the Battery dominate the first 30 minutes in both shots and possession.
New York would strike in the 35th Graciano Brito galloped onto a long ball and shrugged off tackles from John Wilson and Colin Falvey to put it in past Wiggans from about 10 yards out.
The Battery put in Dane Kelly for Seedy Bah up front, and Kelly made an immediate impact, getting some shots on goal, receiving some crosses, and passing decently.
Still the Battery couldn't equalize.
In the 90th minute, the Battery had their last chance to find an equalizer. Prince got the ball over on the left, and found a left footed shot on goal, but Steven Diaz saved it to deny the Battery a single point.
This is a disappointing loss, but the Battery just need to work on finishing. The Battery had 10 shots to New York's 3 and the passing was fine, they just need to tweak our boots a little bit.
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When you look at it that way it looks pretty even. One team that's apparently not very good, and one team that's been struggling. Seems like a fair fight to me.
But let's be honest, everyone and their grandma expected the Battery to win this. Even I, maybe the most critical person of all, suspected that the Battery were just in a bit of a slump. But this is not so.
Now its not time to panic yet, that's not what I'm saying. All I'm saying is that the Battery aren't as good as many, including myself, thought. There are some good pieces, Armstrong, Dykstra, Wilson, etc., and I do believe that they will make the playoffs, maybe they won't finish first or second, but they'll make it.
The point is, the Battery won't be winning by any huge margins, or going on a road trip and cleaning house, or having the league's leading scorer. None of that is going to happen.
What we will see for the rest of the season, is a team that will fight as hard as it can to find itself, find a scorer, and find some points.
Anyway onto last night's match. By the way I wrote the series of paragraphs above, you should realize that the match did not go in the Battery's favor.
The match started out well enough, defenders Marples and Falvey had a couple of chances in the first 30 minutes, and we saw the Battery dominate the first 30 minutes in both shots and possession.
New York would strike in the 35th Graciano Brito galloped onto a long ball and shrugged off tackles from John Wilson and Colin Falvey to put it in past Wiggans from about 10 yards out.
The Battery put in Dane Kelly for Seedy Bah up front, and Kelly made an immediate impact, getting some shots on goal, receiving some crosses, and passing decently.
Still the Battery couldn't equalize.
In the 90th minute, the Battery had their last chance to find an equalizer. Prince got the ball over on the left, and found a left footed shot on goal, but Steven Diaz saved it to deny the Battery a single point.
This is a disappointing loss, but the Battery just need to work on finishing. The Battery had 10 shots to New York's 3 and the passing was fine, they just need to tweak our boots a little bit.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com. Also follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/scsoccerblog.
| Scoring Summary | Goal (Assist) | Minute | |
 New York | Brito | 35 | |
| Team Summary | Charleston Battery | ||
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| Team Summary | New York | ||
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Friday, May 13, 2011
Preview: Charleston-FC New York (Not really)
I'm not going to be writing a preview for tonight's match between the Battery and FC New York, but I do recommend a couple of things:
- Read No Quarter's preview, as well as the one on the Battery's website.
- Attend the match at the 'Baud.
- Come back here later for a post-match report.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Charleston Draws with Pitt, Loses to Rochester
This weekend the Battery had two matches in two nights away at Pittsburgh and Rochester. The Battery only earned one point through both of these matches. Both of the results were disappointing, but understandable.
The first match against Pittsburgh was played Friday night at Chartiers Valley Stadium. Only 624 fans showed up to watch the match, which was understandable because of the bad weather conditions.
The Battery would manage 12 shots with 3 being on goal, while Pittsburgh would take 7 and getting none on goal, making it an easy night for Battery keeper Keith Wiggans.
Dane Kelly and Levi Coleman played well together, with Kelly getting a couple of shots that he sent wide, but the offense was limited for both sides.
Charleston had to play almost half the match short-handed when Evan Taylor was shown a straight red in the 53rd for a reckless tackle on Shintaro Harada.
The back line would stand strong for another 0-0 result, giving the Battery a much needed point on the road.
Pittsburgh Riverhounds:
Players: Hunter Gilstrap, Sterling Flunder, Kyle Veris (Chad Severs 71), Louie Rolko, Jason Kutney, Thabiso Khumalo (Niko Katic 45), Johnny Appiah, Shintaro Harada, Tommy Gray, Matt Fundy (Jeremy Deighton 80), Jason Yeisley
Shots(on goal): 7(0)
Saves: 3
Fouls: 10
Corner Kicks: 3
Offsides: 2
Cautions: Kutney 43, Katic 79
Charleston Battery:
Players: Keith Wiggans, Nigel Marples, Colin Falvey, John Wilson, Mike Zaher, Cole Peverley, Evan Taylor, Nicki Paterson, Stephen Armstrong, Levi Coleman (JC Mack 83), Dane Kelly (Kevin Jackson 79)
Shots: 12
Saves: 0
Fouls: 7
Corner Kicks: 7
Offsides: 1
Cautions: Peverley 51
Ejections: Taylor 53
On Saturday, the Battery would travel up I-79 to face the Rochester Rhinos at the beautiful Sahlen Stadium.
The match started off slowly, with each team getting a couple of shots, but no great scoring chances. Then in the 25th minute the Rhinos broke through.
Quavas Kirk made a run down the right and crossed the ball into Donatelli who volleyed it off the post. The ball would hit the back of a diving Keith Wiggans, and roll slowly into the net.
The Battery then had trouble gaining possession for the rest of the second half, and they would go in at halftime down 1-0.
Coming out of the locker rooms the Battery were doing well. The ball movement was much better and they had gotten some decent scoring chances, but they still couldn't break through.
Even when the Battery had used all their subs and only had two defenders left on the field, they couldn't put one in the back of the net, and the match would end in a victory for the Rhinos.
Man of the Matches: John Wilson
Wilson played great during both of the matches. He is the anchor of our back line, and still makes some of the best tackles you'll see in the USL. If the Battery didn't have Wilson, the back line wouldn't be very good. This is not just because of his skill, but also because of his experience.
Charleston went scoreless this weekend, and their scoreless streak is up to 315 minutes. The cure for the Battery is simple; put it in the back of the net. The back is playing well, and the Battery are just in a bit of a funk, that they need to shake.
The Battery play this Friday night against FC New York at 7:30 at Blackbaud Stadium. The game will be available on USL Live.
The first match against Pittsburgh was played Friday night at Chartiers Valley Stadium. Only 624 fans showed up to watch the match, which was understandable because of the bad weather conditions.
The Battery would manage 12 shots with 3 being on goal, while Pittsburgh would take 7 and getting none on goal, making it an easy night for Battery keeper Keith Wiggans.
Dane Kelly and Levi Coleman played well together, with Kelly getting a couple of shots that he sent wide, but the offense was limited for both sides.
Charleston had to play almost half the match short-handed when Evan Taylor was shown a straight red in the 53rd for a reckless tackle on Shintaro Harada.
The back line would stand strong for another 0-0 result, giving the Battery a much needed point on the road.
Pittsburgh Riverhounds:
Players: Hunter Gilstrap, Sterling Flunder, Kyle Veris (Chad Severs 71), Louie Rolko, Jason Kutney, Thabiso Khumalo (Niko Katic 45), Johnny Appiah, Shintaro Harada, Tommy Gray, Matt Fundy (Jeremy Deighton 80), Jason Yeisley
Shots(on goal): 7(0)
Saves: 3
Fouls: 10
Corner Kicks: 3
Offsides: 2
Cautions: Kutney 43, Katic 79
Charleston Battery:
Players: Keith Wiggans, Nigel Marples, Colin Falvey, John Wilson, Mike Zaher, Cole Peverley, Evan Taylor, Nicki Paterson, Stephen Armstrong, Levi Coleman (JC Mack 83), Dane Kelly (Kevin Jackson 79)
Shots: 12
Saves: 0
Fouls: 7
Corner Kicks: 7
Offsides: 1
Cautions: Peverley 51
Ejections: Taylor 53
On Saturday, the Battery would travel up I-79 to face the Rochester Rhinos at the beautiful Sahlen Stadium.
The match started off slowly, with each team getting a couple of shots, but no great scoring chances. Then in the 25th minute the Rhinos broke through.
Quavas Kirk made a run down the right and crossed the ball into Donatelli who volleyed it off the post. The ball would hit the back of a diving Keith Wiggans, and roll slowly into the net.
The Battery then had trouble gaining possession for the rest of the second half, and they would go in at halftime down 1-0.
Coming out of the locker rooms the Battery were doing well. The ball movement was much better and they had gotten some decent scoring chances, but they still couldn't break through.
Even when the Battery had used all their subs and only had two defenders left on the field, they couldn't put one in the back of the net, and the match would end in a victory for the Rhinos.
Man of the Matches: John Wilson
Wilson played great during both of the matches. He is the anchor of our back line, and still makes some of the best tackles you'll see in the USL. If the Battery didn't have Wilson, the back line wouldn't be very good. This is not just because of his skill, but also because of his experience.
Charleston went scoreless this weekend, and their scoreless streak is up to 315 minutes. The cure for the Battery is simple; put it in the back of the net. The back is playing well, and the Battery are just in a bit of a funk, that they need to shake.
The Battery play this Friday night against FC New York at 7:30 at Blackbaud Stadium. The game will be available on USL Live.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com. Also follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/scsoccerblog.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
USL Pro: Week 4 Observations
Once again here's my review of the on-goings in the USL Pro last week:
Now the result of the match wasn't surprising (as most people would agree that Richmond was the favorite), but for Richmond to lay the smack down on Dayton this bad is surprising. The goals came from Nyazamba, Heins, Bulow, Bangura, with Matthew Delicate also adding two goals to his season tally. This was the biggest defeat for any team in the league this season.
Biggest Disappointment: Blues lose their home opener
The LA Blues have been playing great all season, and even had a win at Antigua Barracuda, but they couldn't find the net even once during their home opener. I fully expected the Blues to come out and play with the same quality they have been playing on their trip in the Caribbean, but apparently that was not the case.
Player of the Week: Matthew Delicate
Delicate continues to put balls in the back of the net. Delicate has scored a league leading 4 goals in his 5 games with the Kickers this season and a two-goal performance against Dayton last weekend can only help his case for USL Pro Player of the Year.
- Kickers Stay Undefeated: In Richmond's first road match of the season, they faced the Dayton Dutch Lions at Miami Valley South Stadium. And they won it convincingly, 6-0. What a result. This team is hot, and there's a reason why; They're the best team. The Kickers are getting quality play from everywhere, and the Kickers will easily cruise to the American Division title if they keep this form.
- Battery Gain 4 Points in Two Matches: Charleston played two matches this weekend, one on Friday and one on Saturday. The first match was a 2-1 victory against the Charlotte Eagles in a match played in Rock Hill. The second was a home match for the Battery against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The Battery out shot the 'Hounds 17-6, but couldn't find the back of the net and the match ended in a scoreless draw.
- Wilmington Continue Hot Streak: The Hammerheads have opened the season with two straight wins, and this 3-1 result against Pittsburgh can only boost their confidence. Late goals from Paul Nicholson and Alex Grendi put the Hammerheads over the Riverhounds, and gave Wilmington their second win of their young season. We will see what they are really made of when they travel to Richmond next week.
- FC New York Score First Goal, But Can't Hold Off City: New York got their first goal from Owen Morrison in the 54th minute of their home opener. But the capacity crowd would go home unhappy with New York losing on two Orlando City goals.
- News for Both Lions: On the Orlando City side, we have City signing two new players, forward Dennis Chin and former College of Charleston player Justin Fojo. Over in Dayton, the Dutch Lions have announced a benefit match for the Connor Senn Memorial Fund, where they will play the Ohio State University. The match will be played in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, which is where the Ohio State soccer and lacrosse teams play.
- Blues Drop Home Opener to 'Cudas: Antigua Barracuda FC spoiled the Blues' party on Sunday when they sent LA home with a loss in their first ever home match. Stefan Smith would get the only goal in the match to bring his scoring total for the year up to 3.
Now the result of the match wasn't surprising (as most people would agree that Richmond was the favorite), but for Richmond to lay the smack down on Dayton this bad is surprising. The goals came from Nyazamba, Heins, Bulow, Bangura, with Matthew Delicate also adding two goals to his season tally. This was the biggest defeat for any team in the league this season.
Biggest Disappointment: Blues lose their home opener
The LA Blues have been playing great all season, and even had a win at Antigua Barracuda, but they couldn't find the net even once during their home opener. I fully expected the Blues to come out and play with the same quality they have been playing on their trip in the Caribbean, but apparently that was not the case.
Player of the Week: Matthew Delicate
Delicate continues to put balls in the back of the net. Delicate has scored a league leading 4 goals in his 5 games with the Kickers this season and a two-goal performance against Dayton last weekend can only help his case for USL Pro Player of the Year.
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Wednesday, April 27, 2011
USL Pro: Week 3 Observations
The USL Pro concluded their 4th week of play on Saturday. Bullet time:
This was the biggest surprise result, as Puerto Rico United still looks to be a bit of a mess, and hasn't won a match all year. You can increase the amount of surprise when you consider that United played the last 10 minutes or so with only 10 men. This one ended 2-2 with goals for City coming both from Max Griffin, and the two for United coming from Eduardo Silva and Christian Turizo. On a side note, Orlando continues to draw crowds of 7,000+. Good work.
Biggest Disappointment: Charlotte and FC New York Draw at 0-0
I expected Charlotte and FC New York both to at least put up a bit of a fight, but it looked like this was for the most part a snooze-fest. We have two teams that look to finish at the bottom of the table, and neither team can get a goal. Depending on how you look at it, it could be disappointing or what you expected, but for me it seems like we could have at least had a couple of balls put into the back of the net.
Player of the Week: Stefan Smith-Antigua Barracuda FC
Stefan Smith scored two goals in Barracuda FC's first league win in their history, earning him player of the week honors in my opinion. Smith scored two goals in the 19th and the 21st minute, giving the Barracuda's the lead after going down 1-0 early. It would have been easy for Antigua to fold up like a cheap tent, but Smith helped them keep steady and make the comeback.
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- Richmond Defeats Battery: In a match with two candidates for the best team in the USL Pro, we had Charleston fall to Richmond 2-1. Charleston gained an early lead on a Levi Coleman header, but eventually the Kickers got the victory after goals from two subs, David Bulow and Shaka Bangura. Here's a video of Richmond's two goals.
- From Roberto Clemente Stadium to... Roberto Clemente Stadium?: This week we had the odd situation of the LA Blues playing two teams from Puerto Rico, in one stadium. Both Puerto Rico United and River Plate Puerto Rico are playing their home games in Roberto Clemente Stadium (a baseball stadium). The stadium is in Carolina, Puerto Rico and holds 12,500. The real home of these teams are a good ways away from Roberto Clemente Stadium, which causes the attendances to be, well awful. Puerto Rico United's home is in Aguada, around a 2 hour drive from Roberto Clemente, while River Plate's home is in Fajardo a 45 minute drive from their home stadium. Hopefully this problem with the Puerto Rican teams will be fixed in the next couple of months.
- FC New York and Charlotte both get their first points: Two teams that look to be bottom dwellers in this year's USL Pro both got their first point of the season, when they drew 0-0 at Charlotte Christian Stadium. Both teams desperately needed at least a point in this match, and in that sense they both succeeded, but obviously scoring is going to have to come if they want to find success. Neither team has scored a goal yet.
- Barracuda FC gets first win of the season: Stefan Smith, an Antigua native, helped the Barracudas to their first win of the season, by scoring two goals in a 3-2 victory over Sevilla FC Puerto Rico. A great story for the only Antiguan team in the USL Pro. Sir Vivian Richards Stadium was "jubilant" for the teams first ever win in league play.
- Rhinos Back on Track: Rochester won their first game of the season Saturday, 3-2 against the Dayton Dutch Lions. Goals from Alfonso Motagalvan, JC Banks, and Anthony Hamilton gave the Rhinos the win on another rainy night at Miami Valley South Stadium. Hopefully this doesn't become a trend, as the turf makes playing at Dayton on a rainy night quite a challenge.
This was the biggest surprise result, as Puerto Rico United still looks to be a bit of a mess, and hasn't won a match all year. You can increase the amount of surprise when you consider that United played the last 10 minutes or so with only 10 men. This one ended 2-2 with goals for City coming both from Max Griffin, and the two for United coming from Eduardo Silva and Christian Turizo. On a side note, Orlando continues to draw crowds of 7,000+. Good work.
Biggest Disappointment: Charlotte and FC New York Draw at 0-0
I expected Charlotte and FC New York both to at least put up a bit of a fight, but it looked like this was for the most part a snooze-fest. We have two teams that look to finish at the bottom of the table, and neither team can get a goal. Depending on how you look at it, it could be disappointing or what you expected, but for me it seems like we could have at least had a couple of balls put into the back of the net.
Player of the Week: Stefan Smith-Antigua Barracuda FC
Stefan Smith scored two goals in Barracuda FC's first league win in their history, earning him player of the week honors in my opinion. Smith scored two goals in the 19th and the 21st minute, giving the Barracuda's the lead after going down 1-0 early. It would have been easy for Antigua to fold up like a cheap tent, but Smith helped them keep steady and make the comeback.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog.@gmail.com
Thursday, April 7, 2011
USL Pro Week 2: What to Watch For
After a successful opening weekend of the inaugural USL Pro season, the second set of games is set to kick off this weekend. Bullet time:
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- Can Richmond continue their early success?: I would think so. Richmond dominated a solid Orlando City side last Saturday, and their attack is looking dangerous. Last week's USL Pro Player of the Week, Mike Callahan, returns to the line up for Richmond after an admirable effort last week. They will host the Pittsburgh Riverhounds Saturday, April 9th at City Stadium.
- Will FC New York be successful this year?: An expansion franchise's first season is usually rough, even harder when you start from scratch. FC New York's debut will be down in the Citrus Bowl, when they play Orlando City SC this Saturday. New York is bringing a young team to the pitch this year, but have some experience in captain Paul Shaw, who played for many years over in England. City is looking to rebound off a loss to Richmond.
- Can Puerto Rico United find chemistry early in the season?: We'll see what happens, but United is my choice for last in the International Division. Their whole team looks to be a mess, and especially so in the midfield. They will host Sevilla FC Puerto Rico, who played River Plate Puerto Rico level last weekend. Sevilla looks to have a team that could compete for an International Division Championship.
- Will Charleston open up the season with a win?: Come back to the blog tomorrow for my preview and thoughts of the game.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
USL Pro Preview: National Division
The first year of the USL Pro will definitely be an interesting one. With the 15 team league being divided into 3 divisions, I will cover each one separately in the lead up to the first game on Saturday, April 2nd. Today we'll cover the National Division:
The National Division consists of teams in the Northeastern part of the United States. The division consists of 2 teams in New York, 2 in Pennsylvania, and 1 club in Ohio. The teams are much closer, and this set up is perfect for creating local rivalries in both New York and Pennsylvania. Here's how I think the teams will place:
5. FC New York: The expansion squad will have the toughest time of any team in the league. 37 year old Englishman, Paul Shaw, will be the captain of the otherwise young squad. He has played many years in England, including a successful stint at Millwall where he scored 25 goals in 109 games. The rest of the team consists of mostly former PDL players. Bright spots include defenders Troy Cole, Josiah Snelgrove, and Karsten Smith, who all will have to lead a very young back line. This team could be feisty, but not a major contender at any point during the season.
4. Dayton Dutch Lions: Dayton has been "promoted" to the USL Pro for the 2011 season, after playing last season in the PDL. A few players, including Julius Wille, Brett Jones, and 2010 PDL Defender of the Year Joe Tait, move up to the USL Pro with the Lions. The attack is lead by Kolby LaCrone, who has played with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Cleveland City Stars, and is a talented indoor soccer player, scoring 21 goals in 14 games for the Louisville Lightning last indoor season. This is another young team, but I think having some players coming up with the team will help the Dutch Lions make a playoff run late in the season.
3. Harrisburg City Islanders: Harrisburg is coming off a disappointing season in 2010. They failed to make the playoffs in the USL Second Division. The loss of Sheanon Williams to the Philidelphia Union will hurt the back line of the Islanders, as he was a great defender as well as a bit of a goal-scoring threat out of the back field. Their captain Dustin Bixler returns for his seventh season with the Islanders, and he brings the leadership and quality to an otherwise mediocre back-line. Last year, they were the worst in the USL-2 last season, and goalkeeper Chase Harrison and defender Andrew Marshall have been brought in to address this problem. I wouldn't have Harrisburg finishing this high, if it weren't for the two expansion teams that are in their division.
2. Pittsburgh Riverhounds: Coming off a successful 2010 season, where they were knocked out in the semi final of the USL-2 playoffs. Pittsburgh set a good foundation for a successful season this year. The club has lost, get this, not one player from last years team. This blows my mind. But anyway, the USL-2 Keeper of the Year Hunter Gilstrap returns to the Riverhounds, along with USL-2 Defender of the Year, Shintaro Harada who will lead what looks to be the league's best defense. Last year they Riverhounds gave up exactly one goal per game. South African Thabiso Khumalo comes to Pittsburgh from DC United, and looks to add some punch to this young Riverhound attack.
1. Rochester Rhinos: Rochester was one of the most successful lower division teams in the early years of lower level soccer in the US, and are looking to add another piece of hardware to the trophy case. Their last major championship was in 2001, when they won the USL A-League championship. Tony Donatelli is a good addition to the squad. He brings experience, and talent to the club, having played successfully with the Montreal Impact and the Vancouver Whitecaps. He scored 19 goals in the 132 games he played with these two clubs. Troy Roberts and Tyler Bellamy lead a defense that took hits this offseason, losing Aaron Pitchkolan and Frankie Sanfillipo, as well as goalkeeper Scott Vallow.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmai.com
The National Division consists of teams in the Northeastern part of the United States. The division consists of 2 teams in New York, 2 in Pennsylvania, and 1 club in Ohio. The teams are much closer, and this set up is perfect for creating local rivalries in both New York and Pennsylvania. Here's how I think the teams will place:
5. FC New York: The expansion squad will have the toughest time of any team in the league. 37 year old Englishman, Paul Shaw, will be the captain of the otherwise young squad. He has played many years in England, including a successful stint at Millwall where he scored 25 goals in 109 games. The rest of the team consists of mostly former PDL players. Bright spots include defenders Troy Cole, Josiah Snelgrove, and Karsten Smith, who all will have to lead a very young back line. This team could be feisty, but not a major contender at any point during the season.
4. Dayton Dutch Lions: Dayton has been "promoted" to the USL Pro for the 2011 season, after playing last season in the PDL. A few players, including Julius Wille, Brett Jones, and 2010 PDL Defender of the Year Joe Tait, move up to the USL Pro with the Lions. The attack is lead by Kolby LaCrone, who has played with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Cleveland City Stars, and is a talented indoor soccer player, scoring 21 goals in 14 games for the Louisville Lightning last indoor season. This is another young team, but I think having some players coming up with the team will help the Dutch Lions make a playoff run late in the season.
3. Harrisburg City Islanders: Harrisburg is coming off a disappointing season in 2010. They failed to make the playoffs in the USL Second Division. The loss of Sheanon Williams to the Philidelphia Union will hurt the back line of the Islanders, as he was a great defender as well as a bit of a goal-scoring threat out of the back field. Their captain Dustin Bixler returns for his seventh season with the Islanders, and he brings the leadership and quality to an otherwise mediocre back-line. Last year, they were the worst in the USL-2 last season, and goalkeeper Chase Harrison and defender Andrew Marshall have been brought in to address this problem. I wouldn't have Harrisburg finishing this high, if it weren't for the two expansion teams that are in their division.
2. Pittsburgh Riverhounds: Coming off a successful 2010 season, where they were knocked out in the semi final of the USL-2 playoffs. Pittsburgh set a good foundation for a successful season this year. The club has lost, get this, not one player from last years team. This blows my mind. But anyway, the USL-2 Keeper of the Year Hunter Gilstrap returns to the Riverhounds, along with USL-2 Defender of the Year, Shintaro Harada who will lead what looks to be the league's best defense. Last year they Riverhounds gave up exactly one goal per game. South African Thabiso Khumalo comes to Pittsburgh from DC United, and looks to add some punch to this young Riverhound attack.
1. Rochester Rhinos: Rochester was one of the most successful lower division teams in the early years of lower level soccer in the US, and are looking to add another piece of hardware to the trophy case. Their last major championship was in 2001, when they won the USL A-League championship. Tony Donatelli is a good addition to the squad. He brings experience, and talent to the club, having played successfully with the Montreal Impact and the Vancouver Whitecaps. He scored 19 goals in the 132 games he played with these two clubs. Troy Roberts and Tyler Bellamy lead a defense that took hits this offseason, losing Aaron Pitchkolan and Frankie Sanfillipo, as well as goalkeeper Scott Vallow.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmai.com
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