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Steel FC Buoyed by Burke’s Brilliance

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 09/25/17, 11:46AM EDT

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Jamaican’s performance was key in return to East’s top eight


Photo courtesy Bethlehem Steel FC

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Half of the eight goals Bethlehem Steel FC’s Cory Burke has scored this season have come against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, so you could certainly understand the sentiment for the Jamaican forward after his brace on Sunday led Steel FC to a crucial 3-2 victory at Goodman Stadium.

“I’ve been scoring goals against Pittsburgh this season,” Burke said. “In this game, all I had to do was put the ball on target and it scores.”

Of course, it wasn’t quite that simple, but Burke’s pair of first-half goals proved the difference in the final regular-season meeting between the in-state rivals. The victory saw Steel FC even the regular-season series at 1-1-1 after Pittsburgh had claimed a 3-2 victory of its own in their last meeting at Highmark Stadium.

More importantly for Bethlehem, though, it ended a five-game winless streak that had stretched back more than a month and moved the team back into the top eight in the USL Eastern Conference. With five games to go in the regular season, Steel FC’s playoff fate is now firmly in its hands as it prepares for the home stretch.

“We knew this game was the most important game to get three points,” said Burke. “[Steel FC Head Coach Brendan Burke] said that from the start of the week and for us to come out and give this performance was great motivation for the team moving forward.”

Bethlehem couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. A stylish opening goal by Adam Najem after a beautiful move by Santi Moar created space in the left side of the penalty area opened the scoring less than five minutes in, and Burke added a second soon after. As patient as the side can be at times in possession, the early jolt of energy on Sunday caught the Riverhounds cold.

“[Steel FC midfielder James Chambers] said before the game that the start is most important for us,” said Najem. “Every time we started that way, and started off well we’ve gotten a result, I think that shows when we show that intensity and get a few goals early, nobody can beat us in this league.”

Maintaining that intensity is going to be key as Steel FC aims to burnish its playoff credentials. An unexpected home-and-home series with the Tampa Bay Rowdies over the course of Week 28 is next after the original meeting between the sides scheduled for Sept. 9 was postponed to Wednesday afternoon at Goodman Stadium due to Hurricane Irma. The side also faces road games against Toronto FC II and the Rochester Rhinos before ending the season at home to Saint Louis FC.


Photo courtesy Bethlehem Steel FC

If Burke can play the way he did on Sunday, though, the odds Bethlehem will see its first postseason action in the club’s second season are good.

“Cory just took over the game at that point in the first half for a long stretch,” said Steel FC Head Coach Brendan Burke. “He was taking balls off his chest under pressure, finding space, finding pockets, breaking the last line. He just separated himself from the pack for me today.”

With the finish line in sight, Najem and the rest of the Steel FC attack are ready to power through into the USL Cup Playoffs.

"Wherever I am I want to give my best effort,” said Najem. “There’s a playoff push to be made. If I’m playing in the Tampa games we’ll put out our best effort to get those points and make that final push for the playoffs and see where it goes from there.”

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