Hollywood United Hitmen Press Release – www.hollywoodutd.com

Thursday, July 2 2009

PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA – The Hollywood United Hitmen edged to the brink of the playoffs with a 2-1 win over the southern California Seahorses here at Pacific Palisades Charter High School tonight, despite playing for almost an hour with ten men.

Head coach Matt Harold made a couple of changes to the team which battered Ogden into submission last weekend, bringing Nick Blanco and Fergie Agwu into the starting eleven, while Earl Alexander and Federico Bianchi dropped to the bench. Top scorer Jaime Chavez remained up front partnering Willie Sims, and the stage looked set for another attacking display from the Hitmen; unfortunately, this was not quite how the game unfolded.

The Seahorses scored after just three minutes when former Tampa Bay Mutiny and Los Angeles Galaxy defender Adam Frye crossed a hopeful ball in from the left wing; in a rare moment of defensive miscommunication, Amir Shafii headed the ball out of Jose Miranda’s hands towards his own goal, allowing Seahorses striker Ryan Shaw to pounce on the ball and tap it home from a yard out while the Hollywood back line stood looking at each other in disbelief.

After this rather incongruous start, the game settled down into a back-and-forth series of attacks and counter-attacks. The Seahorses really took the game to the Hitmen, with midfielders Jon Terrazas and Tomislav Colic a constant attacking threat, and strikers Shaw and Dustin Suppe prowling the forward line, looking for chances.

However, as the half progressed, the Hitmen forgot about their early lapse and grew in confidence; Carlos Morales and Peter Hazdovac both saw shots saved by the impressive Seahorses goalkeeper Dan Benton, while Corona, Fergie Agwu, Jose Munoz and Nick Kohlschreiber began enjoying some freedom to work in the midfield, stringing passes together, and playing several through-balls which were narrowly cleared by the Seahorses defense.

It was the Agwu-Corona connection which led to Hollywood’s equalizing goal on 30 minutes. After some neat interplay down the left, Corona went on a mazy run through the Seahorses defense and fed a pinpoint through-ball to Willie Sims, who arrived at pace from the right side of the penalty area and drove a low shot past Benton and into the back of the net.

Hollywood took the lead four minutes later; Nick Kohlschreiber’s corner from the left was cleared by Seahorses defender Joel Bagby, but fell to Amir Shafii, who was hovering just outside the penalty area. Controlling the ball quickly, Shafii stepped forward and belted the ball from 25 yards out, and saw it fly past a leaping Benton and into the top corner.

Hollywood midfielder Rene Corona was issued a straight red card in the 40th minute following a clash with Seahorses striker Dustin Suppe, which soured things slightly for the Hitmen going into halftime, and forced the team into a defensive stance for the second half. Right from the whistle the Seahorses attacked constantly, searching for the equalizing goal, and looking to capitalize on their numerical advantage, but the Hitmen soaked up the pressure.

If the game against Ogden had been an offensive master class, tonight’s stars were Hollywood’s defenders, notably the central defensive pairing of Peter Hazdovac and Amir Shafii, who made clearance after clearance, tackle after tackle, interception after interception. Goalkeeper Jose Miranda also had one of the busiest nights of his Hollywood career, and proved why he was once considered the most promising young goalkeeper in Cuba, making a series of impressive and important saves to keep the Seahorses at bay.

The Hitmen did launch a couple of promising counter-attacks, especially when coach Harold brought on Earl Alexander, Armando Ochoa and Estuardo Sanchez to replace tired legs as the half wore on; all three had shots on goal, and Sanchez especially came very close to extending the Hitmen’s lead, but put his chance over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Hollywood’s inspirational captain Federico Bianchi, himself a second half substitute, suffered an injury late in the game after a collision with Seahorses goalkeeper Dan Benton, forcing coach Harold to shuffle his formation even more. As the clock ticked ever closer to 90 minutes the Seahorses threw everything at Hollywood as they desperately looked for an equalizer. However, more heroic defending kept the Seahorses at bay, and the Hitmen held on for a hard-fought victory.

The result keeps the Hitmen at the top of the PDL Southwest Division standings, two points clear of Los Angeles in second place, and four points clear of Ventura in third. Furthermore, Hollywood’s points total is now enough to be virtually guaranteed a spot in the post-season: one more point from any of their final three games will ensure post-season qualification at the first attempt.

The Hitmen have now concluded their home stand, and take three road trips to complete the season: away at Los Angeles Legends on July 11th, the return game at the Seahorses on July 18th, and away in Fresno for the final game of the regular season on July 19th.

Hollywood lineup: Jose Miranda; Carlos Morales, Peter Hazdovac, Amir Shafii, Nick Blanco (Erik Robert); Nick Kohlschreiber (Federico Bianchi, Albert Racca), Jose Munoz, Fergie Agwu (Armando Ochoa), Rene Corona; Willie Sims (Earl Alexander), Jaime Chavez (Estuardo Sanchez)

Southern California lineup: Dan Benton; Adam Frye (Mark Bloom), Eric Shuffle, Joel Bagby, Daniel O’Kane (Daniel Brubaker); Cyrus Eaton (Jon Brooks), Dave Barnett, Jon Terrazas, Tomislav Colic; Ryan Shaw, Dustin Suppe (Matt Horth).