Saturday, August 23, 2003

WILMINGTON, NC -- In their second straight championship appearance, the Wilmington Hammerheads finally raised the cup with a come-from-behind 2-1 overtime victory at Legion Stadium, where 3,982 fans braved a one-hour weather delay before kick-off due to a thunderstorm.

Less than a minute into the second 15-minute overtime period, Junior Zarate set up the winning goal when he dropped the ball back to second-half substitute Joey Johnson, who drilled a 19-yard shot to far post from the right side of the box. It was just his second goal of the season in 10 games (294 minutes) played this season for Johnson, who was honored as the USL Pro Select League Championship Most Valuable Player.

The Hammerheads got the first big chance of the game in the 13th minute when Graham Goulding outflanked the Westchester defense to create a one-on-one with Westchester goalkeeper Andres Gomes, whose save rebounded to the top of the six-yard box where Ryan Miller was unable to put the ball into the empty goal surrounded by four Westchester players. Ricky Blanchard would head the ball out of play.

On the right flank in the 26th minute, Westchester’s Alex Tobon-Villa sent a cross into the club’s leading scorer Evaud Thompson in the box. The 2001 PDL Championship MVP sent an eight-yard header just wide of the left post.

In the 36th minute, player-assistant coach Ernest Inneh took a 25-yard shot that Wilmington goalkeeper Billy Platz dove to save at the right post.

About 20 seconds later Fredy Nava sent a ball from the right to Thompson, who side-volleyed his shot to the far post out of reach of Platz.

Second half subs for Wilmington Byron Carmichael and Zarate nearly produced the equalizer in the 58th minute when Zarate beat Westchester Myrie Carlyle in the left corner and sent the ball into the box to Carmichael, who’s shot from 16 yards out missed just over the crossbar.

On a free kick in the 71st minute, Jacobi Goodfellow sent his shot from 40 yards just under the crossbar only to see Platz tip it over the bar.

The Hammerheads were given the equalizer in the 76th minute when Byron Carmichael’s pass into the box went knocked into the back of the net by Westchester defender Nava.

Two minutes later, Glenn Murray turned with the ball 25 yards out and fired a shot just outside the left post from the middle of the field.

The Hammerheads fell at home last year in the title game, 2-1, to the Long Island Rough Riders.

Westchester Flames 1 :: 2OT :: 2 Wilmington Hammerheads
WES: Thompson (Nava) 37
WIL: Own goal 76
WIL: Joey Johnson (Zarate) 106