BROOKLYN, NY – The club’s first team (1-2-4, 7 points) continues their four-game home-stand this evening, Wednesday, June 12, as they welcome the defending runners up in the then-PDL championship game, Reading United (5-0-1, 16 points) for an 8:30 p.m. showdown at Poly Prep Country Day School. The first team suffered their second defeat of the 2019 season, on Saturday evening against the Red Bulls by a score of 2-1. The lone goal came on a free-kick from Conor McGlynn in the 78’ minute of action. For the opposition, Reading comes in having drawn against the Rough Riders at Hofstra on Sunday evening in a nil tie. Defender Kyle Parrish will be suspended for one contest due to a double-yellow during the club’s last contest against the Red Bull on Saturday evening.
ALL TIME SERIES:
The club’s first team trails the overall series 0-5-0 dating back to 2017. The teams have met four times in the previous two seasons following the divisional shake-ups. In the most recent contest at Gurski, Alec McKinley got things started with a 5’ minute goal. Momentum stayed in favor of the home team, where Wil Baynham would net a header in at the 28’ minute mark. Finally, the current leading goal scorer, who came off the bench at the time in Simon Becher netted his team’s third and final goal of the first match between the two clubs. In the pair of meeting’s, a season ago, the first team suffered sequential 2-0 shutouts at Gurski Stadium and Aviator Complex respectively. During the first 2018 meeting, former first teamer and current League One signee Leo Folla recorded a shot on goal, while Cheick Karembega came the closest with three on net. The opposition recorded a pair of goals from Kieran Roberts and Zachary Zandi. During the second meeting, Nico Solabarrieta tallied a pair of goals on three shots, with MLS draftee Ben Lundt obtaining the shutout with a pair of saves to go along with the victory.
SCOUTING THE UNITED:
The Philadelphia Union affiliate returns to Gurski Stadium for their second stint in West Lawn, PA following a three-year tenure at Don Thomas Stadium. Reading United AC has a slew of rostered players on the “USL Top 100 Watch List” that includes Kentucky’s Kalil El Medkhar, and Louisville’s Lamine Conte. The former recorded the game-winning goal against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday for their second consecutive victory in League Two play. The club has also participated in the “U.S. Open Cup” during the early weeks of May, that saw a first-round victory over Junior Lone Star, followed by a 3-0 shutout against Louisville City in the cup’s second round. Since the start of USL League Two play for the defending runners up, the club has won five out of six contests. Their one draw came on Long Island against the Rough Riders a week ago.
INJURY UPDATES:
Defender Kalley Muntaha remains week-to-week with a hamstring injury. He injured the lower-body against the Ocean City Nor’easters on May 18 in Brooklyn. Goalkeeper Babucarr Ceesay left the Lehigh Valley contest on June 1 with a lower-body injury. The Bryant and Stratton goalkeeper did not start in the back-to-back the following day, and was subbed in for Andrew Pereira. Ceesay’s status is unknown, and will be reevaluated at practice prior to the game on Saturday. Midfielder Thriston Briscoe is still out with an ankle injury that was suffered on May 25 at the aforementioned Reading United AC. Goalkeeper Giovanni Gallina will make his debut on the 18-man roster against the United tonight.
LAST TIME OUT:
Heading into the contest, both clubs needed a trio of points. The Red Bulls responded on a costly error from newly signed defender Mikhail Radchenko. The first tally at the 12’ minute mark with a cross from Jean Paul Marin to Allen Gavilanes gave New York their first lead of the evening. Five minutes following the opening shot by the opposition, forward DeAndre Gordon was centimeters away from the net, as goalkeeper Marcellin Gohier saved the ball with his toes. On the ensuing corner, Conor McGlynn would just miss the net from just outside the box in the 18’ minute of action in the offensive zone. End to end action for both clubs commenced as the Red Bulls were unlucky in the 20’ minute of action as a pair of midfielders could not kick home the second goal. Both shots were off the post, that then gave the first team a sigh of fresh air in the interim. Top prospect, Brian Saramago fed one directly through the first team defenders that saw his shot sail off the finger-tips of the Pereira in the 29’ minute. Saramago, a “USL Top 100” player to watch selection finished the contest with five shots on net throughout the evening. The second half featured the Red Bulls dominating the pace of play that included a total of six shots, opposed to a lone four from the first team. The second goal of the game was scored by C.C. Uche in the 76’ minute off an odd angle in the near post to the left of keeper Andrew Pereira. As in most cases, the first team responds within a few minutes by scoring a goal. In this case, it happened once again on a free kick from Conor McGlynn, just two minutes ahead of the Red Bull’s second goal of the game. The first team could not come back within the final 12 minutes of action, as they succumbed to New York during the evening. Final numbers included 10-5 in corner kicks by New York. A clean sheet in the foul department included five for each respective club. The first team was caught offside three times that resulted in the ball heading back the other way. Leading the charge for the contest throughout, was forward DeAndre Gordon, with four shots on net. Conor McGlynn, and Kyle Parrish were right behind the former. Defender Kyle Parrish was issued his second yellow in the 90’ minute of play, that resulted in a red card. The LIU Post product will not be available for Wednesday’s match against the Reading United AC. Parrish, to this point in the season, has played in every contest.
UP NEXT:
The club’s first team finishes their four-game homestand on Saturday, June 15 as they welcome the Lehigh Valley United to Poly Prep Country Day School for an 8:30 p.m. showdown from Brooklyn. The contest will be broadcast live on the exclusive home of the USL League Two first team, I-95 Sports and Entertainment Network, and simulcast on YouTube.com/FAEuro.