Rochester was once again host to the A-League Championship. Similar to last year, Rochester did not win their division but did enough throughout the year to make it to the playoff and once there, dispatched their opponents. With the new playoff system Hershey did not have to face Rochester as they had in years past, thus allowing two teams from the same Conference, to battle for the title.
Hershey had a slight edge over Rochester during the Regular season, and even signed former Rhinos Star Doug Miller, late in the season. Hershey sported the stingiest defense in the post-season and Rochester forwards still seem unable to score consistently.
The first half of play was the classic "feel your opponent out" half. There were a few chances and Hershey looked slightly more aggressive and if it weren't for Scott Vallow, they would have taken a first half lead.
The whistle signaled the start of the second-half, and Rochester came out full blast. A normally subdued offense took it to Hershey. Rochester searched up and down to find a crack in the defense, but could find none. Hershey waited and waited and at every chance they countered Rochester's attack, and far more often than not looked threatening on their way down the pitch.
Rochester crowded the box just after the hour mark, and Hershey desperately tried to clear it. Before they could send the ball away, Nash got a foot on it and sent it to Mladenov, who appeared to have all day to settle it and take a shot. The cross mouth shot ripped past Hershey's Jon Busch, and the game was set.
Hershey did counter from time to time and had some more shots on goal, but nothing like they had mounted before. The wind had been taken out of their sails and Rochester was more than happy to continue pressing on. The insurance goal came just minutes before the end of the match, when substitute Jimmy Tanner had the ball deep in Hershey's corner and sent the ball into the crowd of players, finding Mladenov's foot and then the back of the net.
Rochester then cruised to its second consecutive A-League Championship, with Mladenov being named the obvious Man Of The Match.
Inside Track:
· Rochester is the first A-League Team since the merger in 1996 to win back-to-back championships.
· Rochester played this game with Mickey Troutman's number painted on the sideline and his native flag flying. Troutman was killed in a car accident earlier this month.
Scoring Summary
1 2 Final
HER 0 0 0
ROC 0 2 2
Goals: Rochester- Mladenov (Nash) 63'
Rochester- Mladenov (J. Tanner) 87'
Rochester Lineup: G- Vallow, D-Schweitzer, D-Sedgewick, D-Walton, D-Bankov, M-Daligcon (Zavala 58', Dauda 89'), M-Mladenov, M-Steenkamp, M-Nash (T. Tanner 88'), F-Wilson (Mitchell 90'), F-Gibson (J. Tanner 71')
Rating the Rhinos
On a scale of 8 (highest), here's how the Rhinos fared versus Long Island:
| Pos. |
Name |
Keith's Rating |
Comments |
| GK |
Vallow |
8 |
When called upon came up big and earned his clean sheet |
| D |
Schweitzer |
7 |
Backed up his big talk with big action |
| D |
Sedgewick |
7 |
World Class Hustler and heart |
| D |
Walton |
6 |
Seemed to struggle against offense in 1st half |
| D |
Bankov |
7 |
Excellent consistency at the back and great awareness |
| M |
Steenkamp |
6 |
Played well but not up to his mid-season form |
| M |
Mladenov |
8 |
Excellent. Bets are on as to which MLS team will pick him up |
| M |
Nash |
7 |
Always there when you need him |
| M |
Daligcon |
5 |
Total non impact |
| F |
Wilson |
7 |
Constant thorn in Hershey's Defense |
| F |
Gibson |
7 |
Went head to head with Hershey's big defense and helped create the chances that lead to goals |
| F |
J. Tanner |
7 |
Played for only 20 minutes but worked hard assisted & on the second goal |
| - |
Coaches |
6 |
Good Starting line-up but a little slow to sub in and baffled by decision to sub in Jamel Mitchell well into stoppage time |
