Virginia Beach, Virginia – It was stormy on and off the field Sunday night at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex. The PDL match between the Piranhas and Carolina Dynamo was scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. but thunderstorms in the area delayed the start by 90 minutes. Both teams were a little edgy from the wait but Carolina regained its composure after finally taking the field at 9:30 p.m. The Piranhas did not.
Carolina forward Josh Rice, who had scored a hat trick Saturday night against Northern Virginia, put the Dynamo up 1-0 with an unassisted goal in the 14th minute. No other players from either team got on the board in the first half but plenty of players went into the center referee’s book, including Piranhas forward Charles Nweke who received a straight red card in the 26th minute for serious foul play. His tackle from behind on Carolina’s Dustin McCarty forced the red and white to play the final 64 minutes of the match a man down. Nweke must also sit out the Piranhas’ next match.
Although the first half ended 1-0, Carolina came out in the second half and put three additional goals on the board in a 12-minute span beginning seven minutes into the period. Fejiro Okiomah scored in the 52nd minute followed by two goals from Scott Rojo – one in the 57th minute and the second ten minutes later to take the score to 4-0. Carolina outshot the Piranhas 18-6.
The Piranhas finally got on the board two minutes before the final whistle. Thomas Schmitt sent a ball in from the left side to Mamadou Kone who beat Carolina keeper Brock Duckworth high and to the left. It was Kone’s second goal of the season.
The Piranhas will hit the road for a three-game swing beginning June 3 at Ironbound Express (NJ), followed by a June 4th match at the Central Jersey Spartans and June 12 the team will visit Carolina for the rematch. The Piranhas return to the Sportsplex on June 19 to host the Spartans at 5:30 p.m.
For more information on the Hampton Roads Piranhas, including tickets, sponsorships or to volunteer, please call 757-226-9040 or visit www.hrpiranhas.com.
Scoring Summary 1 2 FT
Hampton Roads 0 1 1
Carolina 1 3 4
Carolina: Josh Rice 14 (unassisted)
Carolina: Fejira Okiomah 55 (Stephen McCarthy)
Carolina: Scott Rojo 57 (unassisted)
Carolina: Scott Rojo 67 (Richard Jata)
Hampton Roads: Mamadou Kone 88 (Thomas Schmitt)
Starting Lineups:
Hampton Roads: Ryan Zmuda, Robert Acosta (Nick Fogelsong 84), Ian Holder (Brian Cunningham 67), Wilver Menacho (Tom Van Dyck 61), Thomas Webb, Jordan Cyrus (Thomas Schmitt 57), Tyler Cyrus, Bryan Iotte, Renato Barbosa (Mamadou Kone 69), Ari Dimas, Charles Nweke
Carolina: Brock Duckworth, Mark Linnville, Jalil Anibaba, Dustin McCarty (Brian Harrison 28), Indy Smith, Stephen McCarthy (Denis Geoffrey 61), Cameron Brown (Richard Jata 48), Scott Rojo (Donnie Smith 81), Fejiro Okiomah, Josh Rice (Kevin Arguello 67), Karo Okiomah (Mark Millard 69)
Game Statistics:
Shots: HRP 6, CAR 18; Saves: HRP 5, CAR 3 Fouls: HRP 14; CAR 15; Offsides: HRP 5. CAR 4; Corners: HRP 3, CAR 9; Cautions: HRP (Tyler Cyrus 30), CAR (Cameron Brown 15, Fejiro Okiomah 38, Stephen McCarthy 45); Ejections: HRP: (Charles Nweke 26), CAR None; Officials: Shawn Fitch, Nicholas Gauck, Wesley Howell; Attendance: 557; Weather: Rain, thunderstorms.
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