For both teams this was the first Open Cup Cup Qualifying game. The last time these teams met The Eagles beat the Hammerheads in Wilminton in a first roand D3 Playoff game.
The teams usually meet several time during the season and playoffs and they are also intense battles. The game started as a chess match with very little offense and many fouls. The first half ended scoreless.
At the 53rd minute Ryan Leib drilled a direct kick into the back of the goal for a 1-0 lead. Nat Watkins scored on a penalty kick to make it 2-0. At the 75 minute mark Marcello Gonzalez fed Dustin Swinehart who caught the goalie slightly out of position and sent the ball with a high arch just over the goalie head and into the back left of the goal.
Swinehart scored his second goal off a Caleb Norkus assist. The game was very rough and ugly at times eveidenced by Wilmingtons' five yellow cards and one red card by the goalie for a hand ball.
The game was played before 1,200 fans at Charlottes Memorial Stadium. There was a special celebrity who attended the game. Dan Barnes of a-league.com and his charming wife attended the game and seemed to have a great time. Look for more about Dan in my Match report from the Charleston match on Saturday Night.
STATS
Shots Charlotte 9 Saves Charlotte 3 Fouls Charlotte 14
Wilmington 11 Wilmington 3 Wilmington 17
Offside Charlotte 2 Corners Charlotte 2
Wilmington 1 Wilmington 13
The only critical problems I see for the Eagles is the amount of Corners. This is obvious and I am sure will be corrected.
For the Second straight Game The EAGLEMAN of the Match is Dustin Swinehart.
STARTERS
Charlotte: Goalie Neal Andrews, Perry,Watkins (Galeano 75'),Correa, Allen, Johnson(Gomez55'), Leib(Gonzalez 70'),O'Brien, Mouw (Norkus 55'),Swinehart,Pinch(Miller75')
Wilmington: Goalie Walter Valesky, Scott, Franks, Fillingham (Haven 66'), Maugham (Panos 72'), Corrie, Obua( Files 75'), Oshonie, Shockley( Zarati 66'), Edwards, Crandell ( Spooner 62')
REFEREES
Almaguer, Goodrich, Kadiecik, Lawrence
