Atlanta Silverbacks played the Syracuse Salty Dogs in front of 3,906. Syracuse took the lead in the 31st minute when Jack Jewsbury scored his second goal with the club to make the score 1-0. Atlanta equalizes in the 66th minute when Shaker Asad scored the final goal of the game and made it 1-1. Neither teams have very good playoff hopes but both could prove to be spoilers of other teams. Final score was 1-1.
El Paso played at home in front of 1,053 versus the Vancouver Whitecaps. In the 15th minute the Patriots struck first when Michael Griego shot it in the net off a corner. The Whitecaps were quick to answer though. Jason Jordan pulled off the famous 'Maradona' spin move; he beat his defender but got taken down in the box for a PK. Oliver Heald scored the PK in the 18th minute. Carlo Corrazin was the first sending off when he had a bad off the ball tackle that was shown the red and put Vancouver down to 10 men. Oliver Heald was next sent off in the 84th when he was shown two yellows after arguing two different calls. Vancouver managed to keep the game tied, however, and the game would end 1-1. Both of these teams could have used the win, Vancouver are gaining on Seattle but still trying to keep Portland behind them, while the Patriots are desperately trying to catch Milwaukee. The final score was 1-1.
The Minnesota Thunder beat rival Milwaukee 2-0. The first Thunder goal came in the 12th minute, when Marco Ferruzzi headed in a Johnny Torres cross. The Thunder pretty much ended the game and sent 1,782 Milwaukee fans home in the 80th minute when a free kick hit off the wall and went right to Mark Schulte who made it 2-0. This was a huge match for the Thunder, because of the win they are now six points ahead of Milwaukee for first place, had Milwaukee won they would have been tied for first. Final score was 2-0 Thunder.
The Cincinnati Riverhawks had an important 2-0 win over the Calgary Storm. With this win and the Milwaukee loss the Riverhawks are now only one game out of the playoffs. Edward Child would assist on both of the Riverhawk goals in this game and they would come in the 54th minute from Rasool Alizedeh and in the 90th minute, when Craig Yacks secured the win. Only 500 came out for this game. The final score was 2-0 Cincinnati.
The Vancouver Whitecaps beat Cincinnati Riverhawks very convincingly. The crowd of 4,059 got a good show with two goals each by Jordan and Sulentic. Jason Jordan started the scoring in the 32nd minute when he drove a shot into the net, 1-0 Whitecaps. John Sulentic got his first in the 52nd minute when he volleyed in a Heald cross, 2-0 Whitecaps. Jordan got his second of the match in the 60th when he received a pass and shot it in, 3-0 Whitecaps. Sulentic got his 2nd of the game when he blasted it by the keeper to make it 4-0 in the 74th. And finally Thompson headed in the 5th and final goal off a cross in the 90th. This game helps the Whitecaps playoff chances, they are seven points ahead of Portland but Portland still has two games too play. This really hurt Cincinnati's playoff chances, they are four points out but have played four more games than the two teams in front of them. Final score was 5-0 Whitecaps.
Virginia Beach beat the Charlotte Eagles at home in front of 889. Roland Aguilera scored first for the Mariners when his free kick went straight through the wall and into the net in the 22nd minute. Dante Washington scored his 14th goal of the season when he shot a low shot past the keeper on a breakaway to make the score 2-0 in the 54th minute. Virginia Beach is now only three points behind Richmond with two games in hand! Final score was 2-0 Mariners.
Charleston traveled to Richmond for the FSW TV game. Unfortunately neither team could find the back of the net. Even in OT neither team created many chances all though the Battery had the better of play. After this 0-0 draw Charleston remains six points ahead of Richmond for first place. Final score was 0-0 in front of 3,110.
Toronto Lynx faced the Rochester Rhinos for a Northeast division match. The Rhinos scored the only goal in the 33rd minute when Ian Fuller buried his 5th goal of the season. The Lynx had won three straight coming into this game and saw their playoff chances come back to live. It is unlikely after this loss however. The crowd was of 10,324 was pleased with the win. Final score was 1-0 Rhinos.
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds won their 6th in a row after a 3-2 win over Syracuse. The Riverhounds scored two quick goals before the half. A Ricardo Villar header in the 43rd minute and a Thiago Martins league leading 15th goal in the 45th minute. But Syracuse struck back with two quick goals after the half. Rene Rivas scored on a PK in the 47th after Joey Worthen was called for a foul in the box. Lars Lyssand tied it up at two after he placed a shot in the upper corner after the Hounds keeper Dedini got tangled with a defender. But the Riverhounds took the win when Alesky Koral tapped a rebound into an empty net and gave the hounds the win! The Riverhounds are now five points behind Montreal for the last playoff spot. The two teams meet this Sunday. Final score was 3-2 Riverhounds.
The Virginia Beach Mariners won their second game in two nights. They beat the Atlanta Silverbacks in front of 1,354. The only goal came from Dante Washington in the 45th minute. The Mariners are now only three points behind the Kickers. The Final score was 1-0 Mariners.
Jason Willan scored his first ever goal for the Minnesota Thunder in the 10th minute. There wasn't another goal until the 74th minute when Johnny Torres had his shot deflected into the net to make it 2-0 Thunder. But the Indiana Blast weren't going to give up. The Blast made it 2-1 when Amos Magee scored an own goal. Mike Mucino tied the score at two when he headed in a goal in the 90th minute! Neither team could score in the OT periods but the Blast will take it. Minnesota are still atop the Central division though. Final score was 2-2.
Montreal traveled to Pittsburgh to face the Riverhounds in front of 1,852. The Impact struck first in this important game, in the 37th minute Mauro Biello had tons of time in front of the Riverhounds net and made it 1-0 Impact. The Riverhounds were forced to play half the game a man down, when Gary DePalma was sent off for two yellow cards. The Impact capitalized when Patrick Leduc scored on a PK in the 64th after Roberto was pulled down in the box. This game ended the six game winning streak for the Riverhounds. They are now seven points out of the playoffs. Montreal moved in front of Rochester for first place in the Northeast again. Final score was 2-0 Montreal.
The Milwaukee Wave United took care of the Indiana Blast pretty handily. And they started fast- Todd Dusosky scored just 44 seconds in from ten yards out to make it 1-0 Milwaukee. In the 21st minute the Blast were forced to play a man down after Higginbotham was sent off for a late hit. Milwaukee scored in the 38th minute after Greg Howes shot in a cross; they also scored in the 39th minute when Dino Delevski made it 3-0. Takawira converted a PK in the 69th minute to make it 4-0. Delevski made it 5-0 when his shot hit the back of the net in the 75th. Takawira ended the scoring in stoppage time when he scored off a Blast turnover. The Wave United had 27 shots! The Blast finished the game with nine men after Costa was ejected in the 89th. Final score was 6-0 Milwaukee.
Syracuse Salty Dogs tied the Rochester Rhinos in front of 8,889. Syracuse started the scoring in the 14th minute when Rene Rivas converted a PK. Doug Miller scored his 15th of the season when he tied the game in the 37th minute. Stoian Mdlanov ripped a shot to the far post that made it 2-1 Rhinos in the 48th minute. Machel Millwood tied the game for Syracuse though in stoppage time as his header went into the goal! Neither team could find the net in OT and the game ended 2-2. The Rhinos are now one point behind the Impact for first place and seven points above the Riverhounds. Final score was 2-2.
Team Calgary almost had an upset of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Calgary scored first in the 21st minute when Nick Zuniga made it 1-0. That lead stood until the 79th minute when Jason Jordan scored the equalizer. Carlo Corrazin made it 2-1 Whitecaps in the 81st minute as he scored the game winner off a pass from John Sulentic. Only 350 came out for this one. The Whitecaps are now on top of the Pacific division, three points ahead of the Sounders! However the Sounders have three games in hand. Final score was 2-1 Whitecaps.
2,218 came out to see the Toronto Lynx battle the Charlotte Eagles. Charlotte scored first in the 27th minute when Andy Hylton headed in a beautiful cross to make give the Eagles the lead. And Hylton got his second just minutes later in the 35th minute; again it headed it into the net. But Toronto made it 2-1 in the 54th minute when Ryan Lucas redirected a Vignjevic pass into the net. Toronto tied the match at two in the 75th minute when Brian Ashton's shot deflected off of Nick Blicharski. Toronto out shot the Eagles 20-9, with an impressive 13 shots coming from Ryan Lucas. Both teams have slim hopes of making the playoffs though they both are still alive. Final score was 2-2.
