Rhinos Thump Powerless Silverbacks

3-0 Victory Keeps Rochester’s Playoff Hopes Alive

J-P Altieri & Keith Kiedrowski,
a-league.com Match Reporters
Rochester

ROCHESTER, NY, August 18, 2003 – The Atlanta Silverbacks came into Rochester with 12 players: their 11 starters and a back up ‘keeper. Due to the trade deadline and the fact that nearly 10 players are either injured or on suspension, Atlanta had just enough players to go against Rochester Saturday night at Frontier Field. The result was a rather one-side affair that arguably displayed more of Atlanta’s weaknesses than Rochester’s strengths.

Coming into the match, the Rhinos were in terrible form, only mustering a 1-2-4 record in their last 7, with their hopes of a playoff berth and first place in the Northeast Division severely damaged following last Saturday’s 4-3 defeat at the hands of the resurgent Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Atlanta has been miserable all year and this was apparent Saturday. This was not the same team that had come back from 2-0 down to tie 2-2 in Rochester’s home opener just a few months prior.

The Rhinos set the tone early, after intercepting Atlanta near midfield following the opening kickoff and marching down field in the first minute. Rochester midfielder David Hayes provided the first Rochester chance, but his hard and low shot glided by the left post on his near side and over the end line after a nice pass from forward Doug Miller. The Rhinos nearly took the lead 4 minutes later, when Miller received a long ball from defender Bill Sedgewick on a nicely developed counter attack, but Miller couldn’t reach the ball in time and Atlanta’s ‘keeper Bryheem Hancock covered nicely.

This offensive trend continued as Rochester applied all sorts of pressure to an obviously inferior defensive unit. However, for all of the creativity displayed, Rochester was coming up empty-handed. Miller’s breakaway after intercepting a bad clearance pass form Atlanta resulted in nothing in the 33. A minute later, however, Miller got another chance and was able to dish the ball to forward Ian Fuller, who shot from just outside the 18-yard box and placed a rocket of a shot into the net at the far post.

After the break, Rochester continued to pour the pressure on the Silverbacks and at 49’, Fuller notched his second goal of the match via a pretty header on a nice cross into the Atlanta goal box from midfielder Temoc Suarez. Suarez, who was part of a nice string of passes generating from Rochester’s back four, found space near the 18 and placed a crisp ball into the 6-yard box and onto Fuller’s awaiting head.

Atlanta’s first real chance came in the 59’, when they were awarded a free kick about 22 yards out. Midfielder Jordy Broder crossed nicely into the Rochester goal box, but an onrushing forward partially headed the ball toward the Rhinos’ net and it went out over the end line.

Ten minutes later, the Rhinos sealed the game when, after a series of passes and shots into the Atlanta goal box resulted in a rebound out to near the middle of the Atlanta goal box. Rochester defender Carlos Mendes was in the right position and fired home a point-blank shot that nearly ripped the cover off the ball in the 69’.

At the other end, Rhinos ‘keeper Bill Andracki had a quiet night, facing 3 shots and only having to turn away two shots, one acrobatically in injury time (90’ +2’).

Because the Silverbacks were so depleted, Rochester can celebrate the easy victory and relish in the fact that they finally did not play down to a weaker opponent’s level. What cannot be said is what the outcome may have been if the Silverbacks had fresh legs, a luxury Rochester took full advantage of throughout the match. Overall, it was a much-needed win for Rochester, who now needs to win 2 of their last 3 in order to be a part of the post-season.