FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 29, 2011
Virginia Beach, Virginia – The PDL Piranhas took on the second place Carolina Dynamo at the Sportsplex Wednesday night and sent the visiting team packing after a decisive, exciting, come-from-behind 3-2 win. Down 2-1, second half substitute Devin Pierce unleashed a ferocious 25-yard strike to tie the game, and Charles Nweke then beat the Dynamo’s high line and calmly placed the ball in the corner to wrap up the Piranhas 3-2 come from behind victory.
“The game was great,” head coach Caesar Rizzo said. “We played a good team and we proved we have good players here. The players did well on the field. They proved they can play a good game and put on a good show for the spectators.”
The match started out positive for the Piranhas. Virginia Beach dominated the early possession and created multiple scoring opportunities. In the 7th minute Jordan LeBlanc shot just wide from just outside the box and then forced another fine save from Carolina goalkeeper Scott Goodwin in the 29th minute.
LeBlanc was finally rewarded for his chances when a cheeky through ball from Nweke found him in the box. He calmly slid the ball to his left foot and beat Goodwin to give the Piranhas in 1-0 lead in the 45th minute.
It seemed certain the Piranhas would take the lead into halftime - so certain that the players may have left before the whistle. Immediately after the kick-off, Freddie Gomez slipped through the center of the Piranhas defense and scored to equalize the match. Going into the locker rooms the score was tied 1-1.
“What happened before halftime was a lack of concentration,” coach Rizzo said. “We have had that many times throughout the season. We talked about that and discussed how we have to have 100 percent concentration. We have to help each other.”
Giving up a late goal can deflate or inspire a team. The Piranhas came out the second half inspired and looked determined to grab back the lead. They dominated the chances and came close at the 60-minute mark when Nweke found himself alone with the goalkeeper, only to hit the side net.
However it was the Dynamo that would score first in the second half. Completely against the run of play, Nick Brindley found himself unmarked in the box and headed in a Martin Murphy cross.
Instead of dropping their heads and admitting defeat, the Piranhas equalized three minutes later when substitute Pierce found himself in a yard of space and scored a cracking goal to tie the match.
The goal pushed the Piranhas on further and they finally got the lead in the 77th minute when Nweke again found himself through on the goalkeeper. This time he made no mistake and stroked the ball cleanly into the bottom corner of the net.
“It was a beautiful through ball and the defense made a mistake and I finally capitalized,” Nweke said.
The goal led to a fantastic celebration, clearly showing how important this win was for the team.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, coach Rizzo had a sigh of relief, pleased with another impressive performance from his team. However as any coach does, he continued to look forward.
“The team needs to believe if they play together they will continue to be a strong team. The season is not over.”
The PDL Piranhas will face the Dynamo again on Saturday, July 2 at McPherson Stadium at 7 p.m. The team returns home to host Northern Virginia on July 8 at 8 p.m. For more information on the Virginia Beach Piranhas, including sponsorships, camps, and tickets or to volunteer, please call 757-572-1592 or visit www.vbpiranhas.com.
Scoring Summary 1 2 FT
Virginia Beach 1 2 3
Carolina 1 1 2
Virginia Beach: Jordan LeBlanc 45 (unassisted)
Carolina: Freddie Gomez 45 ((Chris Tweed-Kent)
Carolina: Nick Brindley 67 (Martin Murphy)
Virginia Beach: Devin Pierce 70 (unassisted)
Virginia Beach: Charles Nweke 77 (unassisted)
Starting Lineups:
Virginia Beach: Dillon Brunk, Sebastian Fischer (Kalin Rosales 68), Mohamed Conteh, Cody Merkes, Robert Acosta (Patrick Thompson 68), Taylor Brittan (Devin Pierce 45), Jordan LeBlanc, Thiago Silva, Tyler Clare (Luis Zamora 88), Charles Nweke, Marcello Alves
Carolina: Scott Goodwin, Will Mack, Kevin Stam, Nick Butterly, Donnie Smith, Nick Brindley (Matthew Sarrett 74), Shawn Sloan (Jonathan Leonard 82), Martin Murphy, Chris Tweed-Kent (Kristopher Byrd 67), Freddie Gomez, Ian Spooner (Mark Millard 64)
Game Statistics:
Shots: VBP 19, CAR 11; Saves: VBP 3, CAR 6; Fouls: VBP 18, CAR 16; Offsides: VBP 3, CAR 4; Corners: VBP 3, CAR 9; Cautions: Virginia Beach (Sebastian Fischer 42, Jordan LeBlanc 90); Ejections: None; Officials: Ron Harnage, Matthew C. Nelson, Patrick Stephan; Attendance: 248; Weather: Clear, warm.
Jake Ullrich
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