1-0 Min. 23 Gustavo Barros Schelotto (PR)
2-0 Min. 30 Kormac Valdebenito (PR)
2-1 Min. 44 Gavin Glinton (CHA)
BAYAMON, PR - The Puerto Rico Islanders earned their fourth victory of the 2006 USL-1 season by downing the Charleston Battery 2-1 in an intense match played at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in front of 3,675 fans.
Puerto Rico dominated through much of the game, although in the beginning the Battery had some very good scoring opportunities. Omar Daley (#8) and Lazo Alavanja (#10) tested Islander goalkeeper Dan Kennedy (#1) in the first five minutes of play. Kennedy responded with saves on both occasions.
Then Petter Villegas (#11) of the Islanders got on track and guided the home team's offense, causing some serious headaches for the Battery defense, especially on the flanks.
Villegas would turn out to be a contributor on both Islander goals. In the 23rd minute he got off a nice cross from the right side of the field to Arturo Norambuena (#19). Norambuena in turn left it for Gustavo Barros Schelotto (#9) in the box. Schelotto, just a few yards from goal, beat Charleston goalkeeper Dusty Huddock (#1) mercilessly for the 1-0 Islander lead.
Seven minutes later, Villegas again sent a wicked cross towards the box from the right. John Queeley (#3) received the ball and attempted a shot. The defense blocked it, but the cleared ball bounced towards Kormac Valdebenito (#10) outside the box. Valdebenito, from about 25 yards out, got off a bullet of a shot. The ball hit the right post and went into the nets with a helpless Huddock looking on. The score was now 2-0 Islanders.
Just before halftime (44th minute) Charleston reduced the margin to 2-1 thanks to Gavin Glinton (#9), who received a cross from Luke Vercollone (#23) and was able to shoot it in just before Alexis Rivera (#6) got there to block him.
In the second half, despite Charleston having more urgency to get a goal, Puerto Rico had the most significant scoring chances. In the 50th minute Schelotto slipped in the act of shooting at point blank range. Villegas, in the 61st, gave Huddock another scare with a shot that barely missed wide right. In the 75th minute of play, Joshua Caleb Norkus (#14) almost took advantage of a miscue by the Battery defenseman Shane Crawford (#2) but his shot went right into Huddock's gloves.
In stoppage time, Charleston's sub Jeff Matteo (#7) had the team's best chance to tie with a powerful shot from about 20 yards out. Dan Kennedy, however, made a spectacular diving save to secure the win for the Islanders.
Both clubs meet again tomorrow, on June 11, at 5:00 p.m. in the same venue, the Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium.
