BROOKLYN, NY – The club’s first team (1-1-4, 7 points) tied the Long Island Rough Riders (3-1-1, 10 points) on Sunday evening in a lightning-shortened match at Poly Prep Country Day School. The second time in five days that the contest was shortened due to inclement weather, as the original meeting was scheduled to take place the previous Tuesday. The first team has tied in four out of their previous five contests dating back to May 14 against the Cedar Stars Rush. The opposition in the Long Island Rough Riders, had come from behind to claim victorious over the New York Red Bulls U23 squad just a night ago in the 87’ minute at Hofstra.
The opening minutes of the rescheduled match seemed to prove fatigue for each respective club as possession remained idle in each respective zone for the first 10 minutes of action. The 12’ minute proved to be a wake-up call for the first team, as Alexander Dexter slid one home past goalkeeper Andrew Pereira. The first assist would come from the cleats of Renato Kazlauric. Putting their faces into sand, and giving up was not on the minds of the first team, as forward DeAndre Gordon came across the right wing to put one home just to the left of the diving Andrew Withers to knot the score at one.
Following the resurgence from the crowd in Brooklyn, unforced errors seemed to plague the first team once again, with a turnover in the defensive zone just eight minutes following the equalizer. Long Island’s Pierre Cayet shot on target, but Periera was there to catch the ball safely at the 30’ minute mark. The tide began to shift in the direction of “chippy” for both squads as the fouls began adding up. Rough Riders defender would proceed to go one on one against Sory Konate, but the opposition would get the best of the former 2000’s player, who was down with a lower-back injury. Retaliation efforts seemed to be the next remaining option for the first team, as a ball between Alexander Dexter and Johan Mauritzson would be fought between the two that was played cleanly, before fellow defender Kyle Parrish came to the rescue and shoved Dexter to the ground. The officials believed giving offsetting yellow cards would be the proper ruling to end the half knotted at one.
Five minutes into the second half, disaster struck for the first team as Renato Kazlauric for the Rough Riders would send one over the head of Andrew Pereira for the go-ahead lead at the 50’ minute mark. The first team would respond within the next possession as Sory Konate netted one past Withers off a throw-in from Tomasso Davico for the second goal of the contest. This would be Konate’s first goal of the season, and his first in USL League Two play.
Few substitutions were made by each respective team, and a yellow card would be issued to Johan Mauritzson at the 68’ minute of action. Just six minutes following the stoppage of play, the match was halted due to lightning in the vicinity. Each club mutually agreed to cancel the remainder of the game and take a draw. The score would hold up to be the club’s highest draw total in USL competition. For the Rough Riders, this would be their first draw of the 2019 season.
UP NEXT:
The club’s first team returns for their second home game in their current four-game home-stand on Saturday, June 8, as they welcome the New York Red Bulls U23 squad to Poly Prep Country Day School. The match is slated to begin at 8:30 p.m. The I-95 Sports and Entertainment Network will provide coverage that will be simulcast on YouTube.com/FAEuro.