(Puerto Rico 3, Virginia Beach 1)
1-0 min. 3 Noah Delgado (PR)
2-0 min. 30 Mauricio Salles (PR)
2-1 min. 32 Darren Caskey (VB, PK)
3-1 min. 37 Mauricio Salles (PR)
Bayamón, PR - The Puerto Rico Islanders earned a 3-1 victory over the Virginia Beach Mariners in front of a crowd of 4,348 people at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium on Friday Night.
The Islanders remain strong at home, where they have gotten all of their wins this season. Some of those have been very convincing. That was such the case against Virginia Beach. Puerto Rico hit early and dominated most of the game.
It only took the Islanders three minutes to go out in front thanks to Noah Delgado. Mauricio Salles sent a cross from the right to Corey Woolfolk who was inside the box. Corey alertly saw Delgado next to him (and better positioned to shoot), and let him take the ball. Noah easily put the ball past Mariner goalkeeper Matt Nelson for the 1-0 lead.
Virginia Beach's reaction was rather inconsequential and the Islanders looked comfortable. At the half hour mark Puerto Rico added to their lead when Mauricio blasted one past Nelson from the left corner of the box. Corey Woolfolk had the assist on this one.
Two minutes later, the Mariners were on the attack, and Johanes Maliza held and dragged down John Barry Nusum of Virginia Beach inside the penalty area. Referee Larry Rodríguez did not hesitate and called the penalty kick, which would be converted by Darren Caskey for the 2-1 score.
Five minutes later the Islanders responded and Mauricio Salles would again strike gold. Mauricio, at close range, shot the ball rather softly toward goal, but inexplicably the Mariner defenders Steve Danbusky and Ptah Myers failed to clear the ball as it bounced innocently into the nets.
With the 3-1 score the Islanders, throughout the second half, concentrated on keeping possession of the ball. Virginia Beach tried to get back in the game, but their attack was unsuccessful time and time again.
For the Islanders "Saito" Nieves came close twice to adding a fourth goal. The defense held nicely, especially with Alexis Rivera making key clearances and Dan Kennedy guarding the goal well.
Caskey, Jakob Fenger, and Tim O'Neill had their opportunities but they either missed high or were denied by Kennedy. Overall the second period was not difficult for the Islanders, who notched their fifth win of the 2005 campaign. The Islanders hope to add one more next Friday, July 15 when they host the Atlanta Silverbacks starting at 8 p.m. local time.
