Three first half goals powered the Cincinnati Riverhawks to a 4-1 win over the Montreal Impact in a game played on a hot muggy evening. Two goals by Ryan Lucas and two from Shawn Rockey allowed the Riverhawks to pickup five points in the standings. Mauro Biello scored the lone goal for Montreal.
The Impact, looking like they were still in the pre-game practice, was totally ineffective in the game. In just the 6th minute a cross to Lucas in the box was converted into a goal when the forward lobbed the ball over the head of a surprised Greg Sutton and into the top of the net. The Montreal keeper, who has played every single minute in goal this season, was weak on at least three of the goals making only one save on six shots. Cincinnati 1 Montreal 0.
Lucas continued his solid play making a great run on the left a few minutes later. He sent a precise pass to Marcel Matis who sent a shot wide. In the 19th minute the Riverhawks added to their lead when Rockey pounced on a loose ball that Sutton could not control and gently tapped it in following a mad scramble in front of the Montreal net. Cincinnati 2 Montreal 0.
The Riverhawks continued to press the Impact defense. In the 25th minute Lucas was fed another great pass but shot too high. Just three minutes later the Impact nearly went on the board when a Ze Roberto header was cleared off the line by a Riverhawks defender. Biello sent a great shot in on Cincinnati keeper Mike Ueltschey a few minutes later. The keeper gave up a big rebound but no Montreal players were anywhere near the ball. In the 40th minute Ze Roberto hit the post on a shot with the rebound going straight to Drew Kopp who somehow shot it off the crossbar. The Riverhawks did not waste any time getting back into the attack. Rockey made a great run down the left with a teammate on the right waiting for a pass. Instead, he went around the Montreal defender and sent a low hard shot into the back of the net. Cincinnati 3 Montreal 0.
The Impact was just as impotent in the second half. Players were content to make long crosses into the box to no one in particular. No player made runs into the box. They preferred to make long passes that were easily cleared by the Cincinnati defense.
In the 53rd minute Matis sent a pass to Lucas on the right who blasted a shot into the net from 12 yards out. Cincinnati 4 Montreal 0.
Biello, who was easily the best Impact player of the game, sent a header right off the crossbar in the 85th minute. Just one minute later, on a pass from Jason Di Tullio, his header found the mark. Cincinnati 4 Montreal 1. Too little, too late.
Impact coach Bob Lilley was not at all pleased with the defensive effort saying, " The back four was poor tonight. We didn't defend well in the midfield." Asked about the shaky play of Sutton he simply said, " Greg wasn't sharp." His biggest beef was with the lack of offense and the poor play in the last two games. He gave full credit to Cincinnati saying, " They manhandled us. We were outplayed tonight and badly."
The Impact now face division-leading Rochester in a home and away series. If the Impact continues to play with so little conviction against the Rhinos, they can forget about making up ground in the division let alone making the playoffs.
Game notes: This was the first ever meeting between these teams. Cincinnati wore their blue jerseys with black numbers…making it next to impossible to tell who was who!
Lineups:
Montreal: 1 Greg Sutton (GK), 2 Adam Braz (sub. 5 Nevio Pizzolitto 60th minute), 8 Gabriel Gervais, 13 Lloyd Barker (sub. 7 Nicola Corneli 46th minute), 14 Drew Kopp, 4 Nick De Santis (sub. 17 Patrice Bernier 46th minute), 6 Mark Rowland, 10 Ze Roberto, 21 Giuliano Oliviero (sub. 11 Darko Kolic 53rd minute), 12 Eduardo Sebrango, 20 Mauro Biello. Substitutes not used: 26 Pieter Meuleman (GK), 15 Patrick Leduc.
Cincinnati: 12 Mike Ueltschey (GK), 2 Bobby Mayer, 3 Fred Degand (sub. 24 Kirk Bevington 80th minute), 19 Joe Mercik, 21 Ben Fisher, 25 Giorgio Antogerolami (sub. 26 Jon Tetirick 46th minute), 14 Jon Pickup, 15 Shawn Rockey, 6 Daniel Alvarez (sub. 16 Rick Roettker 82nd minute), 10 Marcel Matis (sub. 11 Emmanuel Ayim 64th minute), 9 Ryan Lucas (sub. 13 Jeff Nikocaj 70th minute). Substitutes not used: 1 Chris Wanamaker (GK), 8 Conally Edozien.
Goals: Lucas (6 and 53), Rockey (19 and 45).
Cautions:Montreal-De Santis(19), Gervais (29). Cincinnati-Ueltschey (86), Nikocaj (90).
Ejections: None
Attendance: 3,472.
Conditions: Very hot and humid. Field dry.
