The evening starts with many interesting stories. Both teams had clinched a playoff spot with results from the night before. Both teams were playing for third place in the central conference which would mean home field options. Also the Eagles with a goal differential of three and scoring four goals they would win the Southern Derby.
Lets get down to the game. The game was being played at Winthrop College in Rock Hill South Carolina. For the first 15 minutes the game was slow and very uneventful much like a playoff type atmosphere. Then the heart and soul of the Eagles Dustin Swinehart scored off a pass by Caleb Norkus at the 18 minute mark.
The lead was short-lived as Iggy Moleka tied it, off a Sean Finn assist. The tying goal coming in the 24th minute. Both teams had chances but none of them were dangerous and the half ended at 1-1.
The level of play was turned up at the half. The Eagles were really attacking hard on the Silverbacks defense. Then Swinehart taking the ball from a defender and beating the goalie flipped the ball in for his second goal. The unassisted goal coming in the 59th minute.
The next twenty five minutes would be classified as remarkable. Dustin would touch the ball two more times but amazingly scoring on each of these chances. The first at the 73rd minute was from Jose Gomez making it Swinehart 3 Silverbacks 1.
Now I starting thinking Southern Derby was within our grasp with 17 minutes to go. All we needed was one more goal. At that moment Jacob Coggins made a great steal and had a break away but much to my dismay he missed and at that moment the Southern Derby felt like it slipped away!
But it was time for Dustin to get his second touch and oh yes, he scored making it 4-1. That score coming at the 85th minute and completed an amazing four goals for the night on only 8 or 9 touches. (That is MVP material folks, Dustin does more for his team than any other player does for their own team.)
The scoring did not end there. Rob Mouw who enters the game late scored from a Joey Johnson assist. The final goal very late came from Ryan Walker and the assist from Iggy Moleka. Final score Eagles 5 Silverbacks 2 and with the win third place home field advantage in the first round and a little trophy called the
Southern Derby.
The Eagle has landed where it belongs the A-League and could contend for the Championship!
STATS:
Shots Saves Fouls Offside Corners
Charlotte 11 3 8 4 1
Atlanta 8 0 6 2 8
CAUTIONS:
Charlotte- Jose Correa- 7th min- yellow
Charlotte- Jose Gomez- 35th min- yellow
Atlanta- Andrew Restrepo- 51st- yellow
Atlanta- Richard O'Sullivan- 90th- yellow
STARTERS:
Charlotte: Goalie Adams, Miller, Leib, O'Brien, Galeano, Gajarda, Correa( Sorzano 84'), Gomez(Coggins 75'), Swinehart(Mouw 87'), Norkus ( Joey Johnson 87' ), Jeff Johnson ( Ben Johnson 45')
Atlanta: Goalie Clemente, Care, Checcio, Restrepo, Merkel, Parra, Walker, Moleka, Callahan ( Hgrigues 45'), Rodriguez ( Benjamin 45' ), Finn ( O' Sullivan 78')
REFEREES: Jeff Faulner, Jim Fahy, Eric Krajewski, David Bradshaw
ATTENDENCE: 1,408
EAGLEMAN OF THE MATCH- Dustin ( Lionheart) Swinehart
