This A-League week started off with two games on Tuesday. The Portland Timbers traveled to Vancouver to face the Whitecaps. This was an important game because if Portland won they would be one point out of first and if Vancouver won they would tie Portland for second place in the North West division. Portland won the last two meetings. The game was fairly uneventful but Vancouver's Paul Dailly knocked in a shot from inside the 18 in an overtime period to give Vancouver the win and the tie for second in the division, in front of 3,119 fans. The final score was 1-0 Vancouver
The other Tuesday game was Calgary vs. Toronto. This was an important game for Toronto considering they are fighting for a playoff spot. They didn't waste any time scoring as Ali Ngon scored in the 6th minute but they weren't done there. Nikki Vignjevic scored in the 17th minute to finish the game's scoring in front of 1,500 disappointed Calgary fans. The final score was 2-0 Toronto.
The Cincinnati Riverhawks and the Indiana Blast played in Indiana in front of 1,923 fans. This was an important game because Cincinnati could move back into a playoff spot. Rumors abound about the status of the team and its players but they still managed to win this game 3-1! An Indiana own goal in the 9th minute helped the Riverhawks. They then took a two goal lead in the 27th minute. The Blast made the game exciting with a goal in the 65th minute but the Riverhawks ended the hopes of a tie with a goal in the 90th minute.
The Montreal Impact and Charlotte Eagles played in Montreal. The Impact wasted no time as just one minute in they scored sending the 7,044 fans to their feet. They weren't done there as they scored again in the 10th minute. They finished the game with a goal in the 80th minute. Most of the starters for Montreal got a break, but they still managed to win. Montreal is now 4 points ahead of Rochester for the division lead. They are also unbeaten in their last 5 games. Final score 3-0 Montreal.
A big rivalry in the A-League is Milwaukee vs. Minnesota. Those two teams played in front of 4,367 Minnesota fans. Minnesota dominated the second half with a
10-0 shot number but they only got one goal and that was in the 67th minute after a nice through ball. The series is now even at 2-2. Minnesota increased their lead over the Central Division.
On Thursday the Riverhounds faced off against the Battery. The Riverhounds desperately need to start making a run if they want to make the playoffs. The match was pretty uneventful. There were chances for both sides. As the game was winding down however Korol had a point blank shot that was tipped out of bounds. In OT the Battery almost won the game as Donnelly fired a low shot into the corner but Randy Dedini came up with a huge save. The game ended 0-0. This is the third straight scoreless draw between these two teams. The Riverhounds are still undefeated against the South East Division. Attendance in Charleston was 3,747.
The Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps took the field in front of 6,619. The series was tied 2-2. Sub Bryon Alvarez gave Portland the lead in the 72nd minute but he wasn't done there. He scored again in the 81st and 93rd minute! Alvarez scored a hat trick in one half to give Portland the lead and the game. Portland is now only one point out of first. Final score was 3-0 Portland.
El Paso gave their fans a good 4th of July while beating Cincinnati 2-0. El Paso scored in the 28th and 41st minute. In the second half El Paso hit the post twice. El Paso now has two more points than Cincinnati. That could all change though as the teams meet again on Sunday. Attendance was 2,189. Final score was 2-0 El Paso.
The Richmond Kickers and the Atlanta Silverbacks played in front of 1,243 Atlanta fans. Atlanta took the lead in the 39th minute after a nice through ball to Ramon Luna. In the 72nd minute Richmond thought they tied it, but the linesman had his flag up for offsides. The Kickers did tie it though when a cross to the far post by Simmonds found Ukrop's foot and went in the net. In OT, Atlanta got a good free kick. Carlos Parra took it and it hit the post. The rebound was put in by John Berry Nusum for the Atlanta win. Final score was 2-1 Atlanta.
The Rochester Rhinos and Toronto Lynx met in Rochester for the Live FSW game. Toronto started the game off well with a goal in the 4th minute but the Rhinos answered… 6 times. Paco scored in the 10th minute. Miller then scored his 11th goal of the year in the 42nd minute. Before the half Sedgewick scored his first of the year to make it 3-1. Frederick Commodore came into this game with zero goals on the season. He left it with three goals. The final score was 6-1 that sent the crowd of 11,349 home happy.
Montreal and Syracuse played in Syracuse in front of 8,061. Syracuse started the scoring in the 9th minute with a header into the net by Kirmse. Montreal tied it up in the 16th minute with a goal almost exactly like Syracuse's. Montreal took the lead in the 34th with a low shot by Rowland. Biello finished the game off in the 65th minute after scoring on a PK. Final Score was Montreal 3-1.
The Seattle Sounders played the Minnesota Thunder in the battle of Western Conference leaders. Seattle scored early in the 4th minute with a goal by Velez. Eyre tied it up just before halftime. The Thunder then took the lead in the 51st minute after a 20 yard Schulte free kick. The Sounders tied it up though, in the 62nd minute on a header by Edwards after a throw in. The game was ended in stoppage time as Edwards buried a shot to give the Sounders a win. Final score 3-2 Sounders.
1,184 came out to see Virginia Beach and Charleston. Dante Washington scored two goals for the Mariners to lead them to victory. The Mariners are now 4 points behind a playoff spot and are fighting for it desperately. Final score 2-0 Virginia Beach.
The Riverhounds had a very disappointing showing in front of 2,303. In the 9th minute Thiago Martins was tackled in the box. He missed the following PK as Upton made a nice save. In the 13th minute Pittsburgh got the lead with Martins crossing it in to Woolfolk who deflected it in. Charlotte answered 9 minutes later when Gomez had a nice shot over Dedini. Charlotte took the lead after Jose Rife sent a header into the net. Thiago Martins scored his 10th of the year in the 62nd minute after heading in a nice cross from Korol. A PK was awarded to Charlotte after a questionable call in which Dedini pulled down a player in the box. Swinehart hit the post on the first effort but got the rebound in to make the score 3-2. David Wright and Jacob Coggins were ejected after a fight in the 72nd minute. The Eagles ended the game when Swinehart sent a shot into the net. Final score Eagles 4-2.
The Wave United and Sounders met in front of 1,744. In a fairly uneventful match Todd Dusosky scored the only goal in the 34th minute off a throw in. Milwaukee is getting closer and closer to a playoff spot- now only 3 points out. Final Score 1-0 Wave United.
Toronto and Rochester faced each other again- this time in Toronto. Less than a week earlier Rochester beat the Lynx 6-1. Rochester started scoring early. In the 6th minute Suarez sent a shot from 45 yards out and it found its way into the net! The Lynx couldn't seem to find a way to beat Billy Andracki. But the game was pretty much over when Wilson shot a ball into the corner of the net to make it 2-0. It now looks like Rochester and Montreal are running away with the two playoff spots in the North East division. Final Score was Rhinos 2-0.
In what seemed to be a very exciting match El Paso and Cincinnati played in front of 1,049 El Paso fans. In the 9th minute Marcel Matis scored an easy goal from inside the 18. Sastoque made a beautiful run to bury another goal for the Riverhawks in the 48th minute but El Paso didn't give up. An Andrade goal in the 56th minute kept them alive. It also helped when Cincinnati's Child was sent off for throwing elbows in the 61st. In the 71st minute Figueroa had a beautiful goal to tie the game up! Next, a controversial PK was given to the Riverhawks after two players got tangled in the box. Allen Eller made the PK and sent the Riverhawks home with a late winner. The story of the match, though, was the Patriots losing three players to red cards. All three went mental on the ref after the final whistle. Final score 3-2 Cincinnati.
